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Illustrations hy 

ELEANORE HUBBARD WILSON 


A JUNIOR PRESS BOOK 

albert"Ywhitman 

6/ 4»CO 

CHICAGO 

1934 

















fZ'r 
. IrCszb 
3o 


COPYRIGHT, 1934 , BY 
ALBERT WHITMAN & CO. 



» 


PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. 


C'C! A 7 8124 

NOV 15 1934 






^.UJ. lUi.^ 


INTRODUCTION 


Once in Poland I visited in a wide white house on an 
immense estate. The living room and dining room opened 
directly, and without steps, on the courtyard. Dinner was at 
two o’clock in the afternoon—a long dinner with many de¬ 
licious courses. Toward the end of my first dinner, when we 
were ready to lean back in our chairs and tell stories, in 
through the broad doorway walked a beautiful white horse. 

He came straight toward the table and then walked all 
around it, while each one of the family gave him a bit of 
apple or sugar. He was extremely dignified and had just as 
good manners as anybody seated at the table. 

Often, during my visit in this Polish house, the white horse, 
who was the family’s best friend, came in for a little con¬ 
versation at the end of dinner. 

This happened in a big house. In the smallest houses in 
Poland—low houses with thatched roofs and dirt floors—the 
animals have their room, with its hay and feed, right next to 
the family’s room. 

This family room usually has a great fireplace at one end, 
and often a low brick wall in front of the fire to prevent both 
the children and the wooly sheep from getting too near the 
leaping flames. The baby is safe for he is up in the air. He 
lies comfortably in a cradle that swings high above the floor, 
fastened to a ceiling-beam by an iron chain. 

It is because I grew to love the Polish horse and the other 
animals, and the Polish people, who understand them so well, 
that I am particularly glad that Marian King has, in this book, 
taken us to Poland. 

I am glad she takes us to the fair city of Krakow, and gives 
us plenty of time in its gay market place, near which I once 
lived, and at one end of which stands the fine Church of Our 
Lady. From its high balcony at a certain hour, the trumpeter 
blows a silver tune. I have heard many times the story of 
why the trumpeter ends the tune today on a broken note, 
but I have never heard the reason more beautifully told than 
it is when Uncle Stach tells it to Tadek in the Krakow Market 
Place. 

Nor have I heard anyone else tell so interestingly the brave 

vii 





story of .Kosciusko, and of how his historic mound was built 
up toward the sky in fair Krakow—the great mound out of 
just little handfuls of dirt. 

And the sparkling halls and shrines in the marvelous Wie- 
liczka Mines, all carved from glittering salt—into what a fairy 
picture Marian King paints them! And the wedding with the 
prancing horses and the bride’s floating ribbons! Even though 
I have visited fair Krakow several times, this book makes me 
want to go straight back to see it all over again. 

The lucky people in the world are those who have a golden 
key—or maybe it is just a golden look in their eyes. This 
makes them perfectly at home in all countries. It makes them 
understand all animals and people and trees, and birds and 
flowers too, and rocks and singing streams. 

They do not need particular languages to do this, though 
it is very pleasant to know many different languages. But just 
as you and I understand exactly what Bialek, the little Polish 
pig, means when he says, ‘Oink,’ so the people who possess 
the golden key or have the golden look in their eyes, under¬ 
stand all sounds and looks and motions. 

The unlucky people often work very hard to learn some¬ 
body else’s language and after they know all the grammer 
and dictionary, they cannot even understand Tadek and Uncle 
Stach when they talk. I have a friend who studied the Polish 
grammar for seven years and does he know what ‘Oink’ means 
when he hears it? He does not. Because he has not got the 
golden key or the golden look in his eye. I feel most sorry 
for him. 

Now Marian King undoubtedly has the golden look in her 
eyes. Which means that wherever she lives and she happens 
to live now in Washington—it is just as if the walls of her 
house and garden stretched so far that Kees in Holland or 
Tadek in Poland or the duck or the pig could come in and 
out whenever they liked. She in turn can go into their houses 
and gardens whenever she likes. For she is at home in their 
countries and in their hearts. 

That is why I think it would be very wonderful to live with 
Marian King. And, indeed, many thousands of us will feel 
that we are living with her and with Tadek and Bialek and 
all her other friends as we read this fascinating story of their 
adventures. 

Charlotte Kellogg 

Washington, D. C. 

viii 


FOREWORD 


The author wishes to acknowledge her sincere appreciation 
to the following for their generous help and criticism: Mr. 
and Mrs. Thaddeus Hoinko of the Polish Chamber of Com¬ 
merce in New York City; Mr. and Mrs. Eric Kelly; Mrs. 
Tobias Dantzig; Mrs. Kate Zuk-Sharszewska of Krakow; Miss 
Viga de Pereswit; Mr. Charles Phillips of the University of 
Notre Dame; Mr. George R. Noyes of the University of Cali¬ 
fornia; Miss Grace Humphrey; Mr. Frank H. Simonds, Mrs. 
Vernon Kellogg, Professor William R. Rose of Dartmouth 
College for his translation of the verses used in this book; 
M. Arct Publishing Company, Warsaw, and Marja Dynowska 
for their permission to use the verses from her book “Dylu 
Dylu Na Badylu” and the verses from “Spiewnik” by Maria 
Konopnicka; and to Bernard Poloniecki, publisher, for the use 
of the Christmas carols from the book Carols for Christmas Day 
collected by Franciszek Baranski. 

Marian King 



IX 





































TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

Chapter 1. Tadek and His Family. 15 

Chapter 2. A Busy Day. 32 

Chapter 3. Visitors. 47 

Chapter 4. Tadek Listens. 54 

Chapter 5. An Incident in the Night. 62 

Chapter 6. Sowing Seeds. 68 

Chapter 7. To Krakow. 74 

Chapter 8. Tadek and Zosia Make a Visit. ... 87 

Chapter 9. To Wieliczka. 94 

Chapter 10. Kasia’s Wedding. 98 

Chapter 1 1. Into the Salt Mines. 109 

Chapter 12. The Harvest Festival. 115 

Chapter 13. Christmas Eve. 121 


















LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Tadek and Bialek.Frontispiece 

Facing 

Page 

"I'm going to run ahead and meet them.”. 15 

It was great fun to walk between the big handles. 44 

A small girl came into the circle of firelight. 52 

. . three kings who once ruled the earth.”. 60 

When he saw the dog, he ran. :. 66 

He held the bag straight before him. 72 

“Listen!” breathed Tadek, “the Hejnal .”. 78 

“How big and fat he has grown.”. 90 

What a gay procession it was!. 102 

“Isn’t it beautiful!” breathed Zosia. 112 

“Zosia’s chosen! Zosia’s chosen!”. 118 

“Look, Zosia, what I have!”. 126 






















} 



* 


9 






























































. 























« 











































“I’m going to run ahead and meet them.” 







TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


M CHAPTER I 

OTHER! Here they come! Here 
they come!” excitedly called Tadek, the little 
Polish lad, from a branch in the old apple tree 
that stood in the garden near the low, white¬ 
washed, stone cottage. The tree cast am un¬ 
even shadow that danced over the thatched 
roof as the late afternoon sun played through 
its branches. 

A gentle-looking woman came smiling to 


15 


16 


A BOY OF POLAND 


the door. As she crossed the doorstep to the 
little porch that framed the doorway, her full, 
three-quarters skirt, covered by a long, wide 
apron, hung gracefully over her bare feet and 
ankles. Her white blouse, showing through a 
tight red bodice, matched the kerchief that 
was tied neatly around her head and shone 
brightly as she stood before the whitewashed 
cottage wall. 

She crossed the porch and stepped down on 
the soft spring earth. She looked at the freshly 
turned soil in which she had planted holly¬ 
hock seeds. As she passed the lilac bushes she 
stopped long enough to glance at their swell¬ 
ing branches swaying lightly in the afternoon 
breeze. The tall poplar trees that stood on 
each side of the path leading to the road 
looked larger and taller to her than ever 
before. 

“Mother,” called Tadek again. 

“I’m coming,” she answered, taking the 
path that led to the tree in which Tadek was 
sitting. “How much nearer are they?” she 
called. 

“They’re coming up the hill toward the 
road by the pasture,” he answered, picking 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


17 


his way safely across the sturdy limb of the 
budding tree. Swinging his bare legs as far as 
they would go around the trunk of the tree, 
Tadek slid down easily and rapidly to the 
ground. 

“Mother, let’s go and meet them!” he sug¬ 
gested eagerly. 

Just as they started down the path to the 
pasture, Tadek ran back to the apple tree and 
went around to one side of it. After he had 
picked up a little pinkish-white figure, he 
started down the path again to join his mother. 

“Oink, oink,” squealed Bialek with delight 
when he felt the soft hands of his master on 
his fat little self. 

“I almost forgot Bialek,” laughed Tadek 
breathlessly catching up with his mother, as 
he gently stroked the little pig’s soft ears. 

Tadek, leading the way, in his homespun 
blouse and his ankle-length trousers was half 
running, half walking as he went along. How 
good the soft spring earth, warmed by the 
sun, felt to his bare feet! The soft wind rein 
through his thick dark hair and made his 
whole body tingle with delight. The fruit 
trees in the orchard were a cloud of misty 


i8 


A BOY OF POLAND. 


pink, and the tiny bits of new grass shooting 
up from the ground seemed to nod to them as 
they passed by. 

“I see them now,” called the mother over 
Tadek’s head, as she followed closely behind 
him. 

The thumping of the horse’s hoofs could be 
heard on the ground and the wagon made a 
cracking sound as it bumped over the dirt 
road. 

“I’m going to run ahead and meet them! I 
want to see the new plow!” shouted Tadek. 

“Not so fast, my son,” called his mother. 
“You may fall with Bialek.” 

But the warning came too late. Tadek’s 
foot caught in a root, and he and Bialek came 
down with a loud thump. Bialek rolled over 
and squealed loudly as if to say, “It was much 
better under the apple tree!” 

“Not hurt one bit,” laughed Tadek, picking 
up his pet and rubbing him gently behind the 
ears. His mother came over to where he sat on 
the ground. 

“You had better let me carry Bialek the 
rest of the way,” she smiled. “There’s no tell¬ 
ing what you’ll stumble over next.” 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


i9 


It was not long before Bialek was tucked 
safely in her arms, and the three started from 
the path to the road that led by the pasture. 

“Tadek, now you may run ahead,” said his 
mother. “But do be careful!” 

“Here comes Marynka with our geese,” 
shouted Tadek, as he looked across the 
pasture. 

“I see her,” answered his mother, watching 
the eleven-year-old daughter of a neighbor 
crocheting as she walked along guiding home¬ 
ward the flock of geese. Krutchek, the black 
dog, barked now and then at a goose that tried 
to stray from the others. As they waddled 
along, the geese looked like bits of white 
fluffy cotton blowing in the soft green grass. 

“Marynka,” shouted Tadek as the small 
girl came nearer to them, “my father’s 
coming!” 

Marynka looked toward him. “I know. He, 
passed me as I was crossing the road,” she 
called back. 

The wagon was coming closer. Tadek 
could now see his father and Antek, his cousin, 
on the seat. He saw something, too, stretch¬ 
ing out from each side of the wagon. “The 


20 


A BOY OF POLAND 


new plow!” he called, excitedly picking up 
his sturdy legs to run as fast as he could. 

“Father,” said Tadek breathlessly, when 
he came to the wagon, “Mother and Bialek 
and I have come to meet you. We all want to 
see the new plow!” 

“Here is Mother now,” replied the father; 
and handing the reins to Antek he got down 
from the wagon. “A pretty big plow!” said 
the father, as Tadek stood looking at it. 

“Is it larger than our old one?” asked the 
child excitedly. 

“Just a little longer in the handles,” an¬ 
swered his father proudly. “But come,” he 
continued, “the sun is beginning to go down. 
We must hurry home. Tadek, how would you 
like to ride with Antek? Mother and I are 
going to walk.” 

“But what about Bialek?” asked Tadek 
anxiously, thinking what fun it would be to 
have his pet with him sitting up so high in the 
air. “May he ride too?” he asked eagerly. 

“Of course he may,” laughed his father. 

Antek took Bialek and handed Tadek the 
reins. “Hold them loosely and he will go 
right along for you,” smiled his cousin. 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


21 


“Come along, Kary,” called Tadek, the way 
he had heard his father speak to the horse. 

Again the clump, clump of hoofs sounded 
on the road as the horse picked his way with 
the wagon rumbling behind him. High on the 
seat, Tadek, with the reins proudly held in his 
hands, glanced back from time to time to look 
at the new plow. 

Bialek lifted his head to look about him. 

“Bialek likes it too,” laughed Tadek. 

“Here comes Josef with the cows,” said 
Antek, as he looked back across the pasture. 

After they had driven into the yard, Antek 
took the reins and guided Kary around to the 
stable. Antek climbed down from the high seat 
with Bialek in his arms. He then helped Tadek, 
whose legs were still too short to reach the hub 
of the wheel. 

Behind them the colors of the setting sun 
were like a large rainbow stretched out flat 
across the sky. 

“Antek,” said Tadek, but he stopped as 
quickly as he had begun, for just then a soft 
tolling of a bell could be heard in the distance. 

“The Angelus,” breathed Tadek, bowing 
his head in prayer. Antek did the same thing. 


22 


A BOY OF POLAND 


As the prayer ended Tadek’s father called 
to him from the kitchen doorway, “Come, 
hurry. It’s time for supper. Zosia is in here 
helping your mother. Antek will unharness 
Kary. We’ll put the new plow away after 
supper.’’ 

Picking up Bialek, Tadek went toward the 
house. 

“Umm, smells good!’’ he said as he entered 
the kitchen and saw his mother dishing up the 
steaming potatoes. His sixteen-year-old sister, 
Zosia, was busy patting the cheese into a fancy 
form and sticking little pieces of green here 
and there, to make tiny patterns against the 
white mould. 

Tadek put Bialek in his box on the floor by 
the big stove in the back of the kitchen. He 
then went to a basin of water that stood on the 
little wooden table and washed his face and 
hands. Then he called, “All ready!” 

It was not long before the happy little family 
was seated on benches around the big wooden 
table. From the center of the table a lamp 
glowed warmly on the brown earthenware 
bowls and wooden spoons. 

Antek came into the room and took his place 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


23 


beside Zosia. “Well, Zosia,” he asked her, 
“how are the chickens? and did Marynka say 
how the geese behaved today?” 

“The baby chicks are fine!” she answered. 
“They are growing fluffier every day. And 
Marynka said the geese behaved very well— 
all except one. She wandered away several 
times, but Krutchek brought her safely back, 
either with a bark or a friendly sniff.” 

“The geese are worse than Bialek,” laughed 
the father, “always looking for something 
more to eat.” 

“How were the markets today?” asked the 
mother, looking toward her husband. 

“They were quite crowded with peasants 
selling eggs, butter, cheese, and poultry,” he 
answered. “By the way, before I forget,” he 
added, “Jan is coming over tomorrow to help 
with the plowing, and—” 

“May I help too?” broke in Tadek. 

“Perhaps toward evening,” smiled his father. 

“Father,” asked Tadek suddenly, “may I 
have a garden of my own ? ” 

“Let me see,” answered his father looking 
at the mother. “Just let me think. Oh! I 
know!” he said good naturedly. “You may 


2 4 


A BOY OF POLAND 


have the little plot of ground on the other side 
of the path that leads from the kitchen to the 
stable. But remember, you must attend to it, 
watch over it, weed it, and see that it is kept 
clean and watered regularly.” 

“I’ll make you some garden tools,” promised 
Antek. 

“And I’ll plant pansies around the garden,” 
smiled Zosia. 

“And you, Mother, can have some of the 
flowers for your altar,” Tadek said, turning to 
her. 

‘ ‘Thank you. That will be very nice, ’ ’ smiled 
his mother. 

“And I’ll grow enough vegetables so that we 
all can have some. Even Bialek too!” laughed 
Tadek. 

“Come, Antek,” said the father after they 
had finished their supper. “I want to take a 
look around the farm and put the new plow in 
the stable. Zosia, see that the milk is skimmed, 
and tell Josef that there are extra scraps for the 
pigs. And you, Tadek,” called his father as he 
turned to go into the yard, “I believe there is 
still fresh milk in the pitcher on the table for 
Bialek’s supper.” 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


25 


“I’m coming now,” Tadek almost shouted, 
getting up from the table where he had been 
dreaming of the patch of unturned earth by 
the side of the house. 

“Mother,” said Tadek, coming into the 
kitchen, “do you think Bialek could have some 
of that cheese that is left from supper? ” 

“Yes,” she answered. “But first go and get 
the milk so that I can warm it up for Bialek 
while he is eating the cheese.” 

When Tadek had brought the pitcher of milk, 
his mother emptied it into the bowl that was 
warming on the stove. Then Tadek took the 
pan in which she had put the cheese for Bialek 
and went over to his little pet. 

Bialek squealed with delight when he saw 
his master, and rolled over on his fat little side. 

“It was good, wasn’t it?” said Tadek, as 
Bialek ate the last mouthful, scraping in the 
pan for more. 

“Here’s the milk to wash it down,” laughed 
his mother, handing Tadek the bowl. 

“Here, not so fast!” Tadek warned, as the 
little pig drank and drank as fast as he could 
swallow the milk. 

When Bialek had been fed, Tadek took him 


26 


A BOY OF POLAND 


out into the yard and left him to roll in the grass. 
He rooted and he sniffed here and there until 
he finally waddled over to the path that led to 
the field. There he found the leftovers from 
dinner that Josef had put in a large pan for the 
other pigs. 

“Oink! Oink!” he squealed with delight. 
“I’m going to have another meal!” He put his 
hard little nose into the pan and went at the 
scraps as fast as any little pig could. 

Meanwhile Tadek was in the kitchen helping 
his mother dry the dishes. 

“Mother,” he said, “what kind of vegetables 
do you think I can have?” 

“Perhaps beets, cucumbers, and radishes,” 
she answered, as she put the last wet bowl on 
the table for him to dry. 

“But, Mother! I would like to have some let¬ 
tuce, too!” said Tadek eagerly. 

“Why?” she asked. 

“Because Bialek likes lettuce leaves!” 

“That is so,” laughed his mother. “I forgot 
about Bialek’s appetite. Now, Tadek,” she 
said, going to the kitchen door and looking out, 
“you had better bring Bialek in for the night. 
There is a heavy mist falling.” 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


27 


“Bialek,” called Tadek, as he went out into 
the yard. But there was no little pig to be seen. 
“Bialek, Bialek, here, piggy pig—” he called 
again, but there was not even the slightest 
sound of a squeal. 

“I wonder where he can be,” thought Tadek, 
looking anxiously around. 

He walked a little farther—he heard some¬ 
thing move. ‘ ‘That can’t be Bialek, ’ ’ he thought 
to himself. But he walked briskly in the direc¬ 
tion from which the noises had come. 

There was a sudden squeal. Bialek lifted up 
his head to breathe, then went back for more. 

“Bialek,” scolded Tadek affectionately, as 
he came closer to his pet. “I’ve never seen such 
a greedy pig! You’re always hungry!” 

But Bialek was too busy to answer him. 

Picking him up, Tadek walked back with 
Bialek squealing under his arm. 

“Mother,” said Tadek when he came into 
the kitchen, “Bialek had a second supper. He 
found the pans in which Josef had put the 
scraps for the other pigs and—” 

“What was he doing?” laughed Zosia, who 
had just come into the kitchen with a fresh 
pail of milk. 


28 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Elating more supper,” smiled Tadek. 

“Come, children,” said the mother. “It is 
getting late. It is time for you, Zosia, to get to 
your weaving. Tadek, if you want to finish 
your cousin Kasia’s wedding present in time 
you had better put Bialek in his box and start 
to work.” 

“How many more days have I?” Tadek 
broke in wonderingly. 

“What month is this?” asked his mother. 

“Kwiecien (April), the flowering month,” 
he answered proudly. 

“And what month is called the month of the 
blooming linden?” 

“Lipiec (July),” Tadek answered. “Oh! I 
know,” he exclaimed, “I have three whole 
months.” 

“Not quite,” answered his mother. “This is 
nearly the end of April. Now run along,” she 
said. “I must mix the dough for bread and 
Josef will soon be in for his supper.” 

It was not long before Bialek was tucked 
safely in his box. Zosia put the milk into a tall 
crock. Then she and Tadek went about their 
duties. 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


2 9 


“How pretty it looks!” exclaimed Tadek 
with pride, as he followed his sister over to the 
loom and looked at the table cloth she was 
weaving. I like the red and blue stripes.” 

“And how is the bowl coming along? ” asked 
Zosia. 

‘I just can’t seem to get the star right,” said 
Tadek, going over to the carved chest in which 
he kept his tools and his work. He raised the 
top of the chest and took out his bowl and tools 
and came back to Zosia. 

“All that the star needs is to be a bit more 
pointed,” she said, examining the bowl. “Then 
I am sure that it will be all right. - ’ 

“I’m going to paint the bowl blue and the 
star yellow like the ones in the sky,” beamed 
Tadek. 

“That will be very pretty, I am sure,” an¬ 
swered Zosia, picking up her shuttle. 

How happy the small boy and young girl 
looked as they sat in the lamp-lit room. 
Shadows were playing about the little painted 
table and benches and even along the side of 
the spinning wheel and across the loom. The 
colored designs on the soft blue tinted white- 


3 ° 


A BOY OF POLAND 


washed walls shone in lacy patterns. The light 
of the little altar lamp flickered before the 
picture of the Holy Mother in the alcove. 

A soft humming could be heard. It was their 
mother singing softly to herself as she worked. 

A cow was mooing in the stable, and Kary 
was stamping in his stall. 

“Listen!” said Zosia, “here come Father and 
Antek.” She had heard the deep voices of the 
two men singing as they came up the path. 

“Come, Mother,” said the father jovially as 
he entered the kitchen. “Come, please sing 
with us. Antek will play his accordion and 
Josef his new willow flute that he made this 
winter. Then we can sing as we work, and 1 
shall finish your leather case.” 

It was not long before lively tunes were com¬ 
ing from the accordion. Even the shrill flute 
sounded gayer than usual. The deep voices of 
the men, the soft notes of the women, and the 
boyish treble of Tadek floated into the late 
evening. 

And Bialek was pleased. He turned over in 
his box and squealed with delight to think that 
he was being put to sleep by such gay music. 

“Come, Tadek,” said his father, when the 


TADEK AND HIS FAMILY 


3i 


song was finished, “it is way past your bedtime. 
Don’t forget that you have a garden to begin 
and —” 

“May I start it tomorrow?” Tadek inter¬ 
rupted sleepily. 

That depends on how quickly you get to 
bed,” answered his father. 

When he had put his bowl and tools in the 
chest, Tadek went over to the little alcove, and, 
kneeling before the picture of the Holy Mother, 
said his prayers. Then bidding everyone a 
hurried good night, he started to bed. 

“Hmmm!” he laughed as he crawled in under 
the homespun covers, “Bialek will be a big 
help—he will eat—all the—weeds—and—” 

But Tadek was fast asleep. 



A BUSY DAY 


CHAPTER II 


Q 

Something woke Tadek bright and 

early the next morning. A hand was shaking 
him gently. 

“Come, Tadek, don’t make any noise—I’m 
going to help you get your garden started,’’ 
whispered Antek, as the sleepy little boy sat 
up suddenly in bed, rubbing the sleep from his 
eyelids. 

It was not long before Tadek was dressed 


32 





A BUSY DAY 


33 


and on his way with Antek to the kitchen. 

‘Antek,” he called softly, stooping to stroke 
his little pig’s head, “may I take Bialek with 
me?’’ 

“Yes, but don’t let him make too much 
noise,’’ answered Antek, picking up two medi¬ 
um-sized sticks as he started out of the room. 

“Up so early!’’ said Josef good-naturedly, as 
he came into the kitchen. 

“Yes,’’ whispered Tadek excitedly. “We’re 
going to start my garden.’’ 

“I wish that I had time to help,’’ said Josef, 
“but I must start the fire in the stove, and feed 
the pigs.’’ 

“I wish that you could help, too,’’ said Tadek, 
picking up Bialek and going to the open door. 

As he went into the yard, the soft, damp 
morning air struck his face. He looked about 
him. Hie ruddy glow of the dawn was begin¬ 
ning to melt in the east, like the pearly colorings 
that live inside a sea shell. The stable and 
storeroom were still sleeping in the haze that 
clung along the ground. There had been a 
slight frost during the night and everything was 
shining in the white misty glow. 

Cocks were crowing. The low bellowing of 


34 


A BOY OF POLAND 


the cows could be heard as they waited to be 
milked. A lark rose from the ground, and as it 
mounted high into the sky it called in a happy 
silvery voice to the whole countryside. 

“See what 1 have for you!” said Antek, as 
they came to the plot of ground that was to 
be Tadek’s garden. “I finished them for you 
last night after you had gone to bed.” 

“Thank you! Thank you!” said Tadek glee¬ 
fully, taking the hoe and rake. “They are just 
my size,” he laughed, looking at them closely. 

“Now put Bialek on the ground. He will 
make himself happy in the grass,” said Antek. 

“First pull up the weeds. Then dig hard with 
your hoe to break the ground. I’ll go into the 
storeroom and get my tools, then we can work 
together,” said Antek. 

Tadek bent his sturdy little body and went 
to work. He pulled up a big patch of weeds. 
Then he chopped the ground and dug hard 
into it with his hoe. Some of the earth was soft, 
other parts of it were hard and full of tiny 
stones and bits of roots. 

“Put the stones and weeds into one pile,” 
directed Antek, returning with a large hoe and 
rake. “We’ll rake afterwards.” 


A BUSY DAY 


35 


How quickly the small boy and young man 
worked! They were too busy to talk with each 
other. All that they noticed or heard was Bia- 
lek squealing as he played. 

“It seems to me, Tadek,” smiled Josef, as he 
stopped on his way to the stable, “that it will 
not be long before your garden will be ready 
for its seeds.” 

“It does look that way,” answered Antek, 
looking at the upturned earth. 

“Kleck, kleck,” called a familiar voice. 

“A stork!” Tadek called out. 

“A sign of good luck,” said Antek, making 
the sign of the cross. 

As they continued their work, other things 
began to awaken and stir around them. They 
could hear the mother moving in the kitch¬ 
en as she prepared breakfast. They heard 
other voices. It was the father and Zosia talk¬ 
ing to each other as they came into the yard. 

“Well! Well!” laughed the father in surprise 
when he saw Tadek and Antek at work in the 
garden. “ ‘Who rises with the sun is favored 
by God’,” he said and went on his way with 
Zosia beside him carrying a bowl of bread for 
the baby chicks. 


3 6 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Come, Tadek! Come, Antek! The table is 
set and breakfast is ready,” called Zosia, as she 
came back to the kitchen with her empty pan. 

“We’re coming,” answered Antek straight¬ 
ening his long body and letting the hoe drop to 
the ground. 

But Tadek still worked on. 

“Tadek,” called Antek as he started ahead. 
“We must hurry for there is plenty of work to 
be done today. There’s the new plow, and —” 

“Coming,” broke in Tadek, following his 
cousin. “Bialek, Bialek!” he called. “It’s time 
for breakfast.” 

Bialek waddled after them with his short 
tail curled up behind him. 

“Mother! We’ve started my garden!” ex¬ 
claimed Tadek, coming into the kitchen. 

“So I see, my son,” answered his mother, 
patting his face gently. “I went to waken you 
and found your bed empty,” she said. “Zosia 
told me where I could find you.” 

“And you even found Bialek’s bed empty, 
too!” laughed Tadek. 

After a hearty breakfast the father said, 
“We’re going to start our plowing today. Jan 


A BUSY DAY 


37 


has already come with his horse and has begun 
to work in the field.” 

“I’m going to feed Bialek,” said Tadek, leav¬ 
ing the table and getting Bialek’s feed pan. 

“Mother,” said Zosia, as she helped her 
mother remove the dishes from the table, 
“there are many more eggs this morning.” 

“We’ll take them to market the day after to¬ 
morrow. The cheese should be ready by then, 
she answered. 

“And perhaps I’ll soon have some vegetables 
to sell from my garden,” called Tadek proudly, 
as he picked up Bialek’s empty pan. 

“I’m going to take the cows to the pasture 
now,” said Zosia, as she finished helping her 
mother. 

“Come, Bialek,” saidTadek. “Wehavework 
to do.” 

It was not long before Zosia was on her way 
to the pasture and Tadek was back in his gar¬ 
den working. As he worked he sang: 

“Weed and hoe, weed and hoe! 

Singing as I make each row. 

Rake and sow, rake and sow! 

Singing as I gaily go. 


3 « 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Rain-wind blow, sun-wind blow! 
Singing for I know, I know, 

Sun and rain will not be slow, 

Singing as my seedlings grow.” 

“The pile of weeds and stones is getting 
larger and larger,” said Tadek to himself, as 
he stopped to look at the pile beside him that 
had grown wider and higher. “Bialek,” he 
said, “just think we are almost ready to plant 
and —” 

“Not quite, my son,” interrupted the mother, 
who had tiptoed into the yard after she had 
finished her household duties, to see how 
Tadek was getting along. “Give me the rake 
and I will help you,” she said. 

As Tadek hoed, his mother raked. Soon the 
little strip of earth began to look clean, fresh, 
and smooth. 

Bialek, Bialek! Keep away from that dirt 
pile, called Tadek when he heard a squeal¬ 
ing sound coming from his pet. 

“He certainly will eat anything,” laughed 
his mother, looking at Bialek’s fat little body 
as he went rooting around in the pile of weeds 
and stones. The two worked on and on while 
Bialek nibbled here and there, squealing every 


A BUSY DAY 


39 


so often to tell them that he was having a beau¬ 
tiful time. 

Finally, when the ground was weeded, hoed, 
and raked, the mother said, “Come, Tadek. 
We must hurry. It is time to carry the dinner 
out to the men in the field.” 

With Bialek in his arms, Tadek followed his 
mother into the house. 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as his little 
master put him into his box. “Those potatoes 
cooking smell good; I want some.” 

When hands and faces were washed, the 
mother took down a big dipper and with it 
scooped sweet milk from a large brown crock, 
emptying it into an earthenware pot. She 
went over to the stove and turned the steaming 
noodles into one-half a double earthen pot. 

She then mashed the boiled potatoes and 
put them in the other section of the pot. Next 
she cut thick slices of bread from a large dark 
loaf and wrapped them in a cloth. 

“Nowl’mready,” shesaid, turning toTadek. 

“May I carry the big double pot?” he asked. 

“I think that you had better carry the smaller 
one with the milk,” answered his mother, pick¬ 
ing up the heavier food. “Don’t forget you have 


4 ° 


A BOY OF POLAND 


Bialek too,” she laughed as she started through 
the door. 

With Bialek tucked under his left arm, Ta- 
dek took the pot in his right hand and followed 
closely behind his mother. 

‘‘Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as he wrig¬ 
gled in Tadek’s arm. ‘‘I want to get down.” 

‘‘Not so soon,” answered Tadek, holding the 
pig tighter. 

How good the fresh earth smelled to them as 
they walked along! The sun shone down with 
all its might. Everything seemed to be alive! 

“Look how big the baby chicks have grown!” 
exclaimed Tadek, as they passed by the chick¬ 
en yard where many chicks were gathered 
about their mothers. 

“Mmph, mmph,” grunted the hogs as they 
wallowed in the mud. 

“Oink, oink,” squealed Bialek again, “I 
want to get down.” 

“Put him down,” said the mother. “He will 
follow us. He smells the bread.” 

Bialek squealed half with delight and half 
with hunger, and he followed closely behind 
Tadek’s bare feet. 

When they came to the field where the men 


A BUSY DAY 


4 1 


were working, Tadek shouted, "There is 
father!" 

He saw his father dressed in his long over¬ 
blouse, belted in by a large dark girdle and 
hanging loosely over his baggy trouser legs, 
as he walked behind the new plow that was 
being tugged over the level field. It turned up 
the rich, warm soil in good deep furrows and 
made the ground ready for the sowing that was 
soon to follow. He heard his father calling, 
“Get up, Kary, get up!" 

“Dinner time already?” asked the father, 
bringing Kary to a stop, as his wife and son 
stood beside him. “I had—” 

The soft tolling of the church bell inter¬ 
rupted him. 

“The Angelus,” breathed the father, bowing 
his head in prayer. A sudden stillness came 
over everyone and everything. Tadek and his 
mother placed the pots on the ground and 
bowed their heads too in silent prayer, as they 
did every day when the Angelus rang—morn¬ 
ing, noon, and evening. 

“I had no idea that it was noon,” continued 
the father after the last note of the bell had 
faded away. 


42 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“How does the new plow work?” asked 
Tadek eagerly, looking at the long, heavy 
curved handles. 

“Smoothly and evenly,” answered his father. 

He unhitched Kary and left the plough stand¬ 
ing in the field. Then he led the horse to graze 
in the meadow. As he came back to where the 
mother and Tadek stood, he called, “Come, 
Antek! Come, Jan! Come, Josef! Come, Stas! 
Dinner is here!” 

When all were seated under an old tree that 
grew by the side of the meadow, the mother 
spread the dinner before them. How good the 
sweet milk, the dark bread, the warm noodles, 
and mashed potatoes tasted to them, as they 
sat there in the shade! 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as if to say, 
“when do I get my dinner?” 

“Here you are,” laughed the father, break¬ 
ing some bread into a cup partly filled with 
milk. 

“Look at him eat!” called Antek. Bialek ate 
his dinner as though he had not tasted food for 
days. 

“I wonder how Marynka and the geese are 
getting along,” said the mother. 


A BUSY DAY 


43 


“The geese will behave today, I am sure,” 
replied Antek. 

“I saw Krutchek keeping that wandering 
goose close to the flock as they went across the 
meadow,” broke in Josef. 

“He’s a faithful dog,” said the father, think¬ 
ing of the dog, who was so very black that he 
had been named after the crow. 

“Soon we’ll be ready to sow!” remarked 
Antek after a little silence, looking across the 
furrowed ground. 

“It won’t take us long now,” agreed the 
father. “The extra help and the new plow 
certainly have made the work go along 
faster.” 

“Mother,” said Tadek when he saw his 
father get up from the ground to hitch Kary to 
the plow, “may I stay here and help? My 
garden is all ready to plant. May I ? ” he begged 
eagerly. 

“Yes,” she smiled. “But don’t get in the way. 
I am going back to the house to do some mend¬ 
ing and put the supper on,” she said, picking 
up the empty pots and putting them one within 
the other. 

“Father,” said Tadek, as his mother started 


44 


A BOY OF POLAND 


toward the house singing to herself softly as 
she went. “May I plow?” 

I m afraid you can’t reach the handles,” 
answered his father. 

Oh, I know what I can do!” said Tadek ex¬ 
citedly, looking at the long curved handles 
that were a bit too high for him. “I can get 
between them and walk in front of you.” 

That is so, laughed the father. “But stand 
very close to me. Now, what about Bialek?” 
he asked, turning around. 

But Bialek was fast asleep, curled up in a 
little ball at the foot of the tree where the 
family had eaten their dinner. 

He 11 take care of himself,” laughed Ta¬ 
dek s father. He keeps himself busy by either 
eating or sleeping. Now come, Tadek,” he 
said. 

It was great fun to walk between the big 
handles in front of his strong father and watch 
the earth turn over and over until it made deep 
furrows. 

“Here comes Antek with the harrow!” said 
the father, turning the horse to another strip 
of plowed ground. “You know that he will run 
it over the plowed part. It will break up all the 



It was great fun to walk between the big handles 
































































• •% 









































































- I 



















4i m 





































A BUSY DAY 


45 


lumpy earth until it is fine and smooth. Then 
the ground will be ready to receive the seeds 
that we shall start sowing tomorrow.” 

Now, Tadek,” said his father when he had 
brought the horse to a stop, “suppose you sit 
down under the tree and rest a bit. I will call 
you when I am ready to go home.” 

Tadek went over to the tree, where he found 
Bialek nibbling at the grass. 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed the pig. “I have 
had a beautiful afternoon. All by myself, too, 
first sleeping, then rolling in the grass and 
finding strange things to eat,” his squealing 
seemed to say as he went back to his nibbling. 

Tadek lay down under the tree. His little 
body felt tired and his hands were red from 
holding on to the hard handles of the plow. 
“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek—but Tadek 

was counting the furrows. “There are-” 

“Tadek! Tadek!” he heard a voice calling. 
“It’s time to wake up.” 

“That’s Father, I know,” he said, “but he 
seems so far away—” 

“Tadek!” the voice was coming nearer and 
louder. “Come, sleepy head,” said his father, 
shaking him gently. “It’s time to go home.” 



4 6 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“I was counting the furrows,” said Tadek, 
getting up from the ground. 

“You were counting them in a dream,” 
smiled his father. 

Tadek watched his father unhitch Kary 
from the plow. “I’ll leave it here for the night. 
The sky looks clear,” his father said as he 
turned the new plow over on one side. As he 
turned back to Tadek he laughed, “My, but 
I’m hungry! How about you?” 

“I’m hungry, very hungry,” answered Ta¬ 
dek, suddenly realizing that he was. He knew 
now why his stomach felt so empty and his 
throat so dry. Something did feel hollow in¬ 
side of him. It seemed more than just hours 
ago that he had had something to eat and drink. 

“Come. You may ride back on Kary. I’ll 
carry Bialek,” said his father. 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek. “I am hun¬ 
gry and tired, too. I ve had a very busy day 
for a pig.” 

The sun was setting. The father put Tadek 
on Kary s big broad back. When he had picked 
up Bialek and tucked him under his arm, they 
started for the house. 



VISITORS 


1 7 CHAPTER III 

ATHER,” called Tadek, as he jogged along 
on Kary, “there is some one coming up the 
road!” 

“Let me see who it is!” said the father, turn¬ 
ing to look in the direction his son had indi¬ 
cated. 

An old man was walking slowly toward 
them under the tall poplar trees that led to the 
house. 


47 



A BOY OF POLAND 


“Why! It’s Uncle Stach,” exclaimed the 
father in surprise. “Come, Tadek,” he said, 
helping the little fellow down. “I’ll hitch Kary 
to the post. You run and tell Mother that Uncle 
Stach is here.” 

As the father went to meet the old man, 
Tadek picked up Bialek and ran into the house 
calling, “Mother, Uncle Stach is here. He’s 
coming up the road with Father now!” 

“I’m glad he’s come! We haven’t seen him 
for a long time. He will bring us news!” an¬ 
swered his mother as she went to meet the 
visitor, with Tadek running beside her. 

“Praised be Jesus Christ,” greeted the uncle 
when he was met by the mother and Tadek. 

Together they answered him, “Unto the 
ages of ages—Amen.” 

“How you’ve grown, Tadek!” smiled his 
uncle. “It wasn’t but last autumn that I was 
here!” 

“Yes, and I have a garden of my very own,” 
said Tadek proudly. 

“You must be tired. Uncle Stach,” said the 
mother. 

“I’ve come a long way,” he answered, “but 
something to eat and drink will refresh me.” 


VISITORS 


49 


“You shall have plenty of both,” smiled the 
mother, as they entered the house. 

‘ ‘Why! Uncle Stach! When did you come ? ’ ’ 
exclaimed Zosia in surprise as she came into 
the kitchen. 

“Just a few minutes ago,” replied the uncle. 

“Come, Zosia, pour the milk. Uncle Stach 
is hungry,” said the mother, as she emptied 
the steaming potatoes into a bowl. 

“So am I,” Zosia answered. 

After they had eaten heartily of their plain 
supper the father inquired of Uncle Stach what 
news he brought. 

“Everyone is well. Jan read his first mass 
in the Church of Our Lady last Sunday,” he 
answered. 

“You must have been very proud,” smiled 
the mother. 

“Yes, I was proud and happy,” replied the 
uncle, as he thought of his youngest son in his 
first priest’s robes. 

“And what about Michael and his family?” 
asked the father. 

“I do not see Michael quite so often. He is 
busy with his wife, preparing for Kasia’s wed¬ 
ding and—” 


50 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Look! Uncle Stach!’’ interrupted Tadek, 
pulling out his bowl from the chest. “I’m mak¬ 
ing this for Kasia.’’ 

“How well you are doing it’’ smiled his 
uncle. “I am sure she will, enjoy using it!’’ 

“But look! See what Father has made for 
Kasia,’’ said Zosia proudly. 

“It is beautiful!’’ exclaimed the old man, as 
he stood admiring the chest with its lovely 
colors painted in the carved designs. 

“Look inside, and see what Mother and 
Zosia have made, too,’’ urged Tadek, as he 
set his bowl on the table. 

The mother opened the chest and took out 
a piece of linen that she had woven and helped 
Zosia to embroider. 

“Where did you get the flax?’’ inquired the 
uncle. 

“Antek’s mother sent it to me,’’ she an¬ 
swered. “It was so soft and fine!’’ 

“It has made beautiful cloth,’’ said the uncle, 
“and—’’ 

“Is that music I hear?’’ interrupted the 
father. 

“It certainly is,’’ said the mother, as they 
listened. 


VISITORS 


5i 


“It’s coming from the fields,” said Antek, 
going to the open window. 

It must be the gypsies that I saw from the 
field, said Zosia. “They were coming along 
the road as I came home.” 

Let s go and see!” exclaimed Tadek. 

Come along,” said the father, as he started 
out of the house with Tadek walking beside 
him. 

I’ll feed Bialek,” offered Zosia. 

“All right,” answered Tadek. 

As Tadek and his father crossed the field, 
they saw near the road a group of people gath¬ 
ered around covered wagons. From their 
midst came the soft voice of a girl singing to 
the music of a fiddle. 

When they reached the group, the father 
said, “Good evening!” 

“Good evening!” answered a tall dark man. 
“Is this your field?” he asked, as the other 
gypsies gathered about him. 

“Yes,” answered the father, “we’re getting 
ready to plow this part of the field in the morn¬ 
ing.” 

“We’re moving on at daybreak,” said the 
gypsy. 


52 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Then you may camp here for the night,” 
replied the father. 

“Come, Maryska! Come, Jendrek!” called 
the gypsy. “Come, sing and play for the little 
boy.” 

A small girl got down from one of the wag¬ 
ons and came into the circle of firelight. Her 
dark eyes sparkled in a face browned by sun 
and wind, and from beneath the red kerchief 
on her head hung two braids of very dark hair. 
Her blouse was a bright red color, as was the 
full skirt that hung nearly to her bare ankles. 
A boy a few years older followed her. 

“What shall it be?” she asked, turning to 
Tadek. 

“The one that you were singing as we came 
up the road,” he answered. 

“My Spring Song!” she commanded, turn¬ 
ing to the boy with the fiddle. 

As she sang she told of the little seeds that 
were planted in the warm earth; how they 
grew into flowers; how the birds built their 
nests in the trees; how the children played in 
the warm sunshine; how the goose girl tended 
her flock; and how the busy bee sang as it 
worked in the clover field. 


>r.V 



A small girl came into the circle of firelight 













VISITORS 


53 


“I like that! I like that!” exclaimed Tadek 
happily. “I wish Mother and Zosia could hear 
it,” he continued, turning to his father. 

“Perhaps they have!” said the father. “We 
heard the song from the wagon while we were 
still at home. Now the little girl has sung for us 
in the open. I am sure that her song was car¬ 
ried across the field to Mother.” 

“I hope so,” said Tadek. Then he and his 
father thanked the girl for her song and the 
boy for his music. When they had bade the 
gypsies good night, they started back to the 
house. 

“Mother!” exclaimed Tadek excitedly, as 
he came into the kitchen. “They were gypsies! 
A little girl sang for us! A boy played the 
fiddle!” 



T 

Xai 


TADEK LISTENS 


CHAPTER IV 


-ADEK,” said his uncle, as he and the lit¬ 
tle boy sat on the porch step watching the stars 
fill up the sky, “I’ve some stories for you!” 

Some more like the one that you told me 
the last time?” asked Tadek eagerly. 

“No, these are quite different,” answered the 
uncle. 

“Please begin, please,” pleaded Tadek. 

‘It is said,” began the old man, “that many, 


54 




TADEK LISTENS 


55 


many hundreds of years ago the Polish people 
were already living in this country which had 
been theirs as far back as anydhe knew. The 
country was in part covered with large, majes¬ 
tic forests. But the people did not care to live 
mostly by hunting, so they chopped down some 
of the trees to get more land to cultivate. The 
country became, by and by, not only forest- 
grown but covered with vast fields as well. 

“As you know, the word for field in Polish 
is ‘pole.’ Because our people loved nature so 
very much and loved to work the soil, they 
gave to their country the name of Polska, 
which means the land of the fields. 

“They were peaceful folk and would not at¬ 
tack any of their neighboring people. Yet they 
had, now and then, to defend their fields and 
homes from raids by some of their neighbors. 
So they decided for that purpose that they 
would elect a chief, also called king, to lead 
their young men in battle for the protection of 
women, children, homes, and fields. 

“One of these kings, ever so long ago, had 
the name of Lech. He was very brave and 
noble of spirit. 

“One day while King Lech was coming home 


5 6 


A BOY OF POLAND 


through the forest he saw a white eagle soar¬ 
ing high in the sky. The sight of this bird, the 
noblest of its species, appealed to him. It looked 
so proud and dauntless flying straight up to the 
sun. 

“A little farther on King Lech discovered a 
nest with some little white eagles. Then he 
said to his followers riding close to him, ‘This 
is a sign. I shall build a town upon this place 
and it will be my capital. It will be called 
Gniezno (from a word in Polish meaning 
nest). The White Eagle is to be the emblem 
of my country.’ ” 

‘‘Oh! I know!’’ Tadek broke in excitedly. 

What is it?” asked his uncle curiously. 

“That is why our Polish flag has a white 
eagle on it now,” answered Tadek proudly. 

“It certainly is,” answered the uncle, con¬ 
tinuing. “Now, my little fellow, how would 
you like to hear another story? Only this one 
will be quite different from all the others.” 

“Please tell me another,” answered Tadek 
pleadingly. 

“Do you know that crimson flower that 
grows in the wheat fields, and what it is 
called?” asked the uncle. 


TADEK LISTENS 


57 


“It’s the poppy, Uncle Stach,” answered 
Tadek, moving closer to the old man. 

“Well, Tadek,” went on the story-teller, “it 
is told that the Blessed Mother, when walking 
through the fields, was pricked by the sharp 
stalks of grain that lay on the ground, causing 
her feet to bleed. The marks of her footprints 
have remained there ever since, only in the 
shape of red flowers. The blue flowers that 
you have also seen growing in the field get their 
color from her robe.” 

“What about the pink ones?” asked Tadek. 
“Where did they come from?” 

“The little pink flowers, whose heads look 
so much like nails, those that you have seen 
so often growing wild over the fields and in 
the ditches, are said to have sprung from the 
nails that fastened Our Saviour to the Cross. 
Some even say that sparrows flying by the 
Cross on Mount Calvary protected Our Lord 
from other flying birds and insects. When the 
nails dropped from the cross the sparrows 
buried them in the fields and from them sprang 
the little pinks in the shape of nails. That is 
why the sparrows never touch a pink nor do it 
any harm. 


5 8 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“The sparrows, too, were always silent birds 
until one day the hands of the Christ Child 
stroked their feathers. They were so happy 
that they chirped loudly for joy, to show how 
thankful they were for His kindness. That is 
how the sparrow got his chirp. 

“Plums,” continued Uncle Stach, “were al¬ 
ways known to be a very dry fruit. But one 
day when the Lord was still a Child He became 
very hungry, and in His search for food He 
came across some plum trees. He played with 
the dry branches and the fruit. At His touch 
the fruit began to fill with juice and became 
round and full on the twigs. 

The poor aspen tree was not so fortunate. 
When the Holy Family fled from Egypt, it did 
not dare give them shelter underneath its 
branches because it feared King Herod. That 
is why the tree still shivers and trembles. 

“But the hazel tree was kind. It opened its 
leaves and the Holy Family found shelter be¬ 
neath them in safety. And from that day on 
the hazel tree has had a special blessing. It will 
never be struck by lightning and all that seek 
shelter beneath it, even today, shall be shel¬ 
tered from harm during a thunder storm. 


TADEK LISTENS 


59 


Still, it is told that the cuckoo bird was rest¬ 
ing in the branches of the hazel tree while the 
Holy Family was beneath it. To please King 
Herod, the cuckoo called loudly, ‘Cuckoo! 
Cuckoo!’ For that the little bird suffered, as 
he has never again had a nest which he could 
call his own. 

The lark fared better. He was more suc¬ 
cessful. He sang his sweet song to Adam, to 
comfort him when he left the Garden of Eden. 
He even sang above Our Saviour’s cross on 
Calvary and tried as hard as he could with his 
little bill to pick the thorns out of Christ’s 
crown. He is also the special song bird of the 
Virgin Mary in Paradise. It is known that she 
protects him; and God has allowed the lark to 
remind us of Heaven by his sweet silvery song. 
We all know that if anyone harms a lark he 
will suffer the penalty of blindness. 

“The nightingales are also birds that are 
especially guided by Heaven. Although we 
hear them singing in the night, they have an¬ 
other song we do not hear here on earth—one 
that they sing to Heaven alone.” 

“Don’t we ever hear that one?” asked Tadek 
anxiously. 


6o 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“No, that song is sung without our ever hear¬ 
ing it. That one is for Heaven alone,” repeated 
Uncle Stach; then he continued: 

“And you know from Epiphany onward, for 
a number of weeks, if you look on a bright, 
clear evening at the sky you will see the Three 
Kings going across the Milky Way dressed in 
beautiful robes. They are not the three Wise 
Men, but three kings, who at one time ruled 
the earth. It is said that the Archangel Gabriel 
chooses them on New Year’s day to welcome 
Christ in Heaven as they greeted Him in His 
crib. Not everyone can see them. If you have 
been honest, truthful, and good, you shall be 
blessed not only with seeing them, but bless¬ 
ings of good fortune shall come to you all of 
that year.” 

“Now, my lad, what day comes after Fri¬ 
day?” asked the kind uncle. 

“Let me see,” said Tadek, still thinking of 
the Three Kings crossing the Milky Way, as 
he looked into the starry sky. 

“Saturday,” he beamed. 

“Yes, Saturday,” answered his uncle. 
“Well, always on Saturday, whether it is sum¬ 
mer or winter—even on the coldest or the 



( « 


three kings who once ruled the earth. 


9 9 










TADEK LISTENS 


61 


warmest days—whether it is raining or the day 
is very dreary, the day will not pass by with¬ 
out one tiny bit of the sun’s rays. That’s be¬ 
cause it is told that this day, Saturday, the 
Christ Child’s shirt was being washed and the 
sun came out and shone down brightly to dry 
it.” 

“Oh, I know!” exclaimed Tadek excitedly, 
“that is why Mother says that you can always 
find a light some place in the sky on Saturday.” 

“Yes,” answered his uncle, getting up from 
the porch step and starting into the house. 

Tadek followed closely behind him but 
stopped as he came into the kitchen, for he 
heard Bialek squealing in his box. 

“Humph,” laughed Tadek out loud and said, 
“Perhaps that is why Bialek is always so white, 
much whiter than the other pigs—even his 
mother and father and his brothers and sisters. 
He must have been born on a very sunny day 
and the sun must have shone down very, very 
hard on him.” 

“That must be it. Perhaps it was Satur¬ 
day,” laughed Uncle Stach good-naturedly, as 
they left the kitchen together. 



A 


AN INCIDENT IN THE NIGHT 

CHAPTER V 


, NTEK lay quietly in his bed listening. 
“Was I dreaming?” he wondered. 

Something was moving about, near the 
house. 

Getting out of bed, Antek tiptoed past the 
sleeping Tadek. Stopping at Josef’s cot, he 
shook him. “Listen,” he whispered, “do you 
hear footsteps?” 

Josef and Antek crept to the window and 
looked out into a night sky, still heavy with 

62 



AN INCIDENT IN THE NIGHT 63 

stars. They heard a growl, some hurried steps. 
Then all was quiet. Nothing moved. 

“Krutchek never growls like that unless 
there is something strange around!” whispered 
Antek, as he and Josef slipped quickly into 
their clothes, then tiptoed out of the room, 
through the kitchen and into the yard. 

“Sh-sh!” breathed Antek. ‘‘I hear some¬ 
thing.” 

Steps sounded slowly and stealthily on the 
grass near the chicken yard. A shadow dark¬ 
ened the light garden path. 

“Come, Josef!” whispered Antek, leading 
the way. “Crawl on your hands and knees!” 

As they reached the stable, Antek and Josef 
dropped flat on the ground. 

The footsteps were coming closer! A man 
with a bag over his shoulder stopped in front 
of the chicken house. The door swung easily 
on its hinges and he went in. 

“I’ll let Krutchek loose! You watch the 
man,” said Antek softly, crawling toward the 
stable door. 

“That’s queer!” thought Antek. “I shut the 
stable door tight the last thing this evening and 
now it is open!” 


64 


A BOY OF POLAND 


He crawled through the dark opening. 
“Krutchek!” he called softly. “That’s queer, 
too,” he thought. “He always answers and 
comes when I call!” 

He stood up and struck a match. Shielding 
the tiny light in his cupped palms, he looked 
eagerly about in the shadows. 

“There you are!” he cried softly, when he at 
last spied the dog. “No wonder you can’t 
move or bark—tied and muzzled!” 

Taking a long rope from a hook, Antek 
looped it around Krutchek’s neck. Then he 
untied the dog’s legs, but left his mouth muz¬ 
zled. With Krutchek straining at the leash, 
the two slipped quietly out of the stable. 

“Sit down, old boy,” Antek whispered 
softly, when the two had crawled back to Josef. 
“You’ll be free in a moment.” 

“Listen!” commanded Josef. 

The man in the chicken house was talking. 
“What a fine dinner you’re going to make, my 
fat hen, and—” 

“Cluck! Cluck!” interrupted the bird, as a 
reaching hand disturbed her rest. 

The clucking of one hen aroused the other 
fowls. Soon all were awake and squawking. 


AN INCIDENT IN THE NIGHT 


6 5 


In the meantime, the father was getting hur¬ 
riedly into his clothes. “Mother,” he whis¬ 
pered, “something’s wrong at the chicken 
house!” 

‘I hear a noise!” she answered, listening. 
“Shall 1 come, too?” 

No, 111 get Antek and Josef,” he answered 
as he went out of the door. But Antek’s and 
Josef’s beds were empty. 

Hastening out of the house, the father 
walked quickly down the path. He stopped 
at the stable, as he heard Antek saying, “Josef, 
here’s our chance!” Then Antek untied the 
rag that had been fastened around the dog’s 
mouth. 

The stranger came out of the chicken house, 
his shoulders stooping under the bulging bag 
on his back. As he started down the path, 
Josef whispered, “Let Krutchek go!” 

“Get him, old boy!” cried Antek, loosening 
the rope, but still holding on to it. The dog 
jumped forward, barking. 

The man jumped. When he saw the dog, he 
ran. But his bag was heavy. He had the 
choice of being caught by the dog or losing the 
chickens; he dropped the bag. 


66 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Give Krutchek more rope!” cried Josef. 

Antek lengthened the leash, and Krutchek 
ran snapping at the man’s heels. 

“Let the man go,” laughed the father. “He’s 
frightened enough. A gypsy, just as I 
thought!” 

“He picked the best hens!” said Antek, open¬ 
ing the bag. 

When all the chickens were safely back in 
their coop, Josef said, “I’ll sleep in the stable 
for the rest of the night.” 

“Oh, he won’t return!” assured the father. 
“Krutchek won’t let him,” he added, patting 
the dog’s head. 

“I’ll make a bed in the kitchen,” offered An¬ 
tek. “If Josef needs me, I’ll be near.” 

As the father and Antek walked back to the 
house, a small form came down the path. 

“Tadek!” exclaimed the father, “what are 
you doing out here?” 

“I heard noises and couldn’t find Antek and 
Josef and—” 

“Come,” said his father, as he heard Tadek’s 
teeth chattering, “the night air is cold!” 

“What was out there?” asked Tadek ex¬ 
citedly, as they came into the warm kitchen. 



When he saw the dog, he ran 









AN INCIDENT IN THE NIGHT 67 

‘Only a gypsy trying to steal our best hens 
for his breakfast,” smiled his father. 

“Tell me all about it!” pleaded Tadek. 

‘Not tonight. Wait till morning,” answered 
his father. 

“I’m glad that he didn’t take Bialek!” said 
Tadek, looking into the box where his little pet 
pig slept soundly. 

As the father got back into bed, he heard 
wagon wheels going over the road. “Mother,” 
he laughed, “the gypsies are moving on.” 


SOWING SEEDS 


L CHAPTER VI 

OOK! Uncle Stach!” called Tadek ex¬ 
citedly the next morning, as he looked at the 
little furrows with he had made in his garden. 

That looks fine!” said his uncle. “But 
come, we shall make the others.” 

As the uncle drew lines across the earth 
with a stick, marking off the garden in even 
strips, Tadek took the handle of his rake and 


pulled it across the marked ground. As he 



SOWING SEEDS 


pushed hard into the soft earth, it separated, 
forming little mounds on either side. 

4 Tadek,” said his uncle, when they had 
finished making the ground ready to plant, “it 
is time for the seeds.” 

“Which shall we plant first?” asked Tadek 
eagerly. 

“In the first two rows,” answered Uncle 
Stach, “suppose you sow the lettuce seeds, 
then the beets, next to them the radishes, and 
in the last two rows, the cucumbers.” 

Bialek waddled over to Tadek. Looking 
around, he called, “Oink! Oink! I don’t see 
anything but earth—I’ll go back to the grass.” 
And off he waddled again. 

As Tadek. scattered the seeds in their rows, 
his uncle drew the earth back over them with 
the rake. 

“And now, Tadek,” he said, as he stamped 
down the planted ground, “we shall sprinkle 
it with water.” They filled two wooden buckets 
at the well, and carried them back to the 
garden. 

Finally, when the ground was thoroughly 
sprinkled, Tadek said, “Uncle Stach, Zosia is 
going to plant pansies around my garden.” 


70 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Then you will have two gardens,” laughed 
his uncle, picking up the empty buckets. 
“Now come, Tadek,” he said, “put your tools 
away; then we’ll go into the fields.” 

As Tadek started toward the house with his 
hoe and rake, he turned around and called, 
“Bialek, Bialek, come. We are going to help 
father!” 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as he rolled 
over, stood up, and waddled after his little 
master. 

“Mother!” exclaimed Tadek, coming into 
the kitchen. “My garden is all planted! And 
now Bialek and I are going with Uncle Stach 
to help father,” he said, placing his rake and 
hoe in a corner out of the way. 

“I’m coming, too,” said his mother, picking 
up the dinner pots, “but I am afraid Bialek 
will have to stay at home. He will be in the 
way. There is a great deal to be done. I’ve 
put his dinner in his pan.” 

Tadek picked up Bialek’s feed pan, full of 
bread and milk, and went into the yard. 
“Bialek,” he called, “here’s your dinner. Now, 
be a good pig while I am helping Father.” 

“Uncle Stach,” said Tadek, as he and the 


SOWING SEEDS 


7i 


mother met his uncle coming from the store¬ 
room, “Mother’s coming too!” 

When they reached the field they saw Antek 
with a long bag hanging from his shoulders. 
As he walked along, guiding himself by the 
furrows, he held the bag straight before him 
with his left hand, while with his right he 
dipped into it and sowed the seed on the pre¬ 
pared ground. 

“Father!” called Tadek, when he saw his 
father behind the new plow. “Father!” he 
repeated, “my garden is all planted!” 

“So you’ve come to help us!” laughed his 
father, bringing Kary to a stop. 

“Yes,” responded Tadek, “but Bialek had 
to stay at home.” 

“Well, that’s too bad. But let me see,” said 
his father good-naturedly, “what work we 
have for you. Oh, I know!” he laughed. “You 
can help Mother and Josef in the potato field.” 

After their midday meal the mother, Josef, 
and Tadek crossed the rye field into another 
part of the plowed land. 

“The potatoes are all ready to plant,” said 
Josef. “Antek and I quartered them this morn¬ 
ing and Jan brought them over in his cart.” 


72 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Look how many pieces there are!” ex¬ 
claimed Tadek excitedly, as he fingered the 
quartered potatoes heaped in little piles along 
the ground. 

“Tadek,” said his mother, “you and I’ll plant 
the potatoes and Josef will cover them over 
with the soil.” 

What fun it was to drop one of the little 
pieces, each with an eye, into the deep hollows 
and hear the earth fall softly over it as they 
walked along. 

“Now, Tadek,” said his mother when the 
last pile of potatoes had been planted, “come, 
we must hurry home. There is the supper to 
get, the eggs to put in baskets, the cheese to 
put in cloth, and—” 

“Oh, I know!” exclaimed Tadek. “Tomor¬ 
row is market day.” 

“Yes,” answered his mother, “and I need 
your help.” 

As they started homeward they saw Jan 
with his horse pulling the brush harrow across 
the sown field. 

“Soon there will be little green shoots com¬ 
ing up,” smiled his mother, looking at the 
harrow, as the horse dragged it slowly across 



He held the bag straight before him 












SOWING SEEDS 


73 


the land, mixing the seed and earth together, 
and pressing it firmly into the ground. 

“And I’ll have vegetables soon too,’ laughed 
Tadek, thinking of his own garden. 




T 

JLa 


TO KRAKOW 


CHAPTER VII 


.ADEK,” called his mother very early 
next morning, “we’re ready to start. Let’s 
sing before we go!” 

The boy replied excitedly from the yard, 
and picking up Bialek ran toward the cart. 
Standing together they began to sing the Morn¬ 
ing Hymn, as the men bared their heads: 


74 






TO KRAKOW 


75 


“When morning dawn doth rise, 

To Thee, earth, sea, and skies, 

To Thee, each living thing, 

Be praised, O Lord, doth sing. 

And man, whom measureless 
Thy various gifts do bless, 

Who dost preserve his days, 

Shall he not give Thee praise? 

Search sleep unseals mine eye 
To Thee, O Lord, I cry ; 

My Lord in Heaven I call, 

And seek Thee round in all. 

Many are dead who lay 
To sleep but yesterday; 

We have awaked once more, 

To praise Thee and adore.*’ 

Uncle Stach mounted the seat. The mother 
followed him. All the baskets and bundles of 
green stuff for market were already packed in. 

When Kary was given his reins, boy, pig, 
mother, and uncle were on their way. As they 
drove along, they saw the folk at work in the 
freshly ploughed fields. The late spring plant¬ 
ing was still on. Ahead in the distance was the 
smoke of the chimneys of Krakow. And an 
hour later they began to enter the New Town. 


76 


A BOY OF POLAND 


Through the long streets they drove, lined 
with brick houses, past the big hospital, and 
at last out on to the beautiful Plantations that 
run in a circle right around where the moat 
and wall of the Old Town used to be. Turn¬ 
ing here to the left they made their way slowly 
through the moving crowd of peasant women 
towards the Florian Gate. Everywhere were 
wagons laden with poultry, eggs, and cheese. 

When they came to a large turreted circular 
fort built of brick, the uncle brought Kary to 
a stop. “Tadek,” he said, “you already know 
that this old fortress is called the Rondel or 
the Barbican.” 

“Yes,” agreed Tadek. 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as if to say, 
“I know too.” 

“Those loopholes in the middle on the 
ground floor,” explained the uncle, “were at 
one time used for cannon. Those smaller loop¬ 
holes that you see higher up made it possible 
to throw down stones or pour boiling pitch 
or water on the enemy when they came too 
near. Those seven turrets that stand out like 
separate towers on the roof served as sentry 
boxes. There was a gangway with a draw- 


TO KRAKOW 


77 

bridge over the moat that connected the Bar¬ 
bican with the City Gate.” 

They were now at the ancient Florian Gate, 
a tall square stone tower fitted into the wall, 
mellowed by long standing. As they drove 
slowly through the large archway from the 
new into the old city of Krakow, they came 
into a street lined on both sides with shops and 
big venerable houses. In the distance, the un¬ 
even towers of the famous old church, Panna 
Marya, or Our Lady Mary as it is called, stood 
like tall pillars against the blue sky. 

Very soon they came to the Rynek, or mar¬ 
ket place. Right in front was one of Krakow’s 
most celebrated landmarks, the Sukiennice, 
or Cloth Hall, which stands in the Rynek. It 
is a beautiful old building, graced by a deli¬ 
cately pinnacled roof, long colonnades, and 
quaint outside stairways. This being market 
day, peasant stands laden with produce were 
now arranged in the open square in front of the 
famous old building. 

“Tadek,” said his mother when she had 
found her stall, “you bold Bialek so that he 
does not get away, while Uncle Stach and I 
unload the cart.” 


78 


A BOY OF POLAND 


As Tadek held his pet tightly in his arms he 
looked about him. There were many stalls 
already filled with peasants displaying and 
selling their wares. The gaily colored dresses 
and the bright kerchiefs of the women made 
patches of red, blue, and orange against the 
dark background of the building. 

“Listen! The Hejtial (the trumpet call in 
honor of the Virgin),” breathed Tadek. 

As he stood looking up toward the left tower 
of the church of Our Lady Mary, Tadek heard 
the trumpeter play the soft melody from each 
of the windows, announcing the hour pf the 
day. Four times he played, first to the north, 
then east, then south, and then west. As he 
played each time, he ended the melody on a 
broken note. 

“Uncle Stach,” said Tadek, coming over 
to the old man as the last note echoed away, 
“please tell me the story of the trumpeter 
again.” 

Seeing the mother busy with a customer, 
the uncle began, “Many, many years ago a 
band of very fierce warriors called Tartars 
descended upon Poland. They robbed and 
burned farms, and even besieged the larger 



“Listen!” breathed Tadek, “the Hejnal .” 

























TO KRAKOW 


79 


villages until at length they came to the very 
walls of old Krakow. 

Of course the people of the city were very 
much afraid of these Tartars and everyone 
who could took refuge within the walls of the 
fort. But the trumpeters in the church of Our 
Lady Mary had taken a vow (they take the 
same vow still) to blow the Hejnal every hour 
of the day and night as long as they lived; so 
they stayed at their post in the tower of the 
church. 

“Just as the fighting in the streets below was 
at its hottest, the hour arrived to sound the 
trumpet call and the trumpeter took his place 
in the tower. The melody rose high and clear, 
but as he was reaching its close a Tartar’s 
arrow struck him. The note he was playing 
faltered and broke—he had no strength to 
finish it. And ever since that day the trump¬ 
eters of Krakow, as a tribute to that brave 
youth, end the Hejnal on the note that was his 
last, and that is why the call always seems to 
us to be unfinished.” 

As his uncle finished the tale, Tadek stood 
for some moments in silence, still thinking of 
the brave lad who lived in this same city so 


8o A BOY OF POLAND 

long ago. Suddenly he was startled by a voice 
at his elbow. 

“My, what a fine pig you have!” a young 
gentleman remarked. “Is he for sale?” 

“No! No!” exclaimed Tadek, holding Bialek 
tighter. 

“Come, my little fellow,” said the gentle¬ 
man good-naturedly, “I was only joking. Has 
he a name?” he asked. 

“Yes,” answered Tadek proudly. “His name 
is Bialek.” 

“Little white one, it means!” laughed the 
gentleman. 

“Yes,” smiled Tadek. 

“Well, as long as I can’t buy the pig, I’ll buy 
some of those fresh eggs,” said the gentleman, 
as he looked at the mother’s table spread with 
round white cheese, eggs, and butter. 

After the customer had gone the uncle said, 
“Tadek, if your mother says yes, I will take 
you to Kosciuszko’s Mound.” 

“May I go, Mother?” asked Tadek eagerly. 

“Of course you may. I’ll take care of Bia¬ 
lek,” she smiled, “and I’ll be sure not to sell 
him.” 

Taking his uncle’s hand Tadek followed 


TO KRAKOW 


81 


through the throng and out to Castle Street 
and All Saints’ Square. Here they got on the 
trolley (“To save time,” said Uncle Stach) 
and began their ride. Through the gaps in the 
buildings to the left could be seen the Wawel, 
the fortified hill, topped by a palace, on the 
river bank, where of old the Kings of Poland 
dwelt before the capital was moved to War¬ 
saw. At its highest point towered the cathedral 
spires, where those same kings had been 
crowned and where the greatest of them lie 
buried. 

On went the trolley along the river bank; 
and then they got out and began to climb the 
long road lined with trees that leads to the 
soldiers’ barracks on the hill. There they went 
through a gate and under an arch in the stone 
wall of the fort; then crossed the parade 
ground to the foot of the Mound. 

As they climbed the spiral path to its top, 
the uncle said, “Tadek, do you know that this 
famous soldier, whose Mound we are climb¬ 
ing, is claimed by both America and Poland?” 

“Please tell me all about him,” pleaded 
Tadek. 

“The soldier’s name was Tadeusz Koscius- 


82 


A BOY OF POLAND 


zko,” began Uncle Stach. “He was born in 
the eastern part of Poland, on the twelfth of 
February, 1746. As a young boy he spent his 
days on his father’s lands, where he became a 
fine horseman. 

“In 1769, when he entered the corps of 
cadets at Warsaw, he attracted the attention of 
Prince Czartoryski, through whose influence 
he was sent, it is said, to Germany, Italy, and 
France to finish his military training. He com¬ 
pleted his course at Paris, where he learned 
fortification and naval tactics. He returned to 
Poland in 1774 but two years later went back 
to France. 

“While Kosciuszko was in Paris he learned 
of the hard struggle being waged by the colo¬ 
nists in America for liberty and independence. 
He was so impressed that he decided to go to 
America to see what service he could render. 
In 1776 he entered the Colonial Army as a 
volunteer and won great honor. General Wash¬ 
ington was so pleased with Kosciuszko that he 
made him a colonel. He served under the 
American flag for over six years. 

“It was Kosciuszko who laid out the plans 
for his superior officer, General Gates, at Sara- 


TO KRAKOW 


83 


toga, in America, where the Colonists won 
their first great victory. But where he is even 
better known in America, so history tells us, 
is at West Point, now the United States Mili¬ 
tary Academy. There he was in charge of the 
first fortifications. Today there is little left of 
the original fort, but one may still walk through 
a little garden laid out by Kosciuszko himself 
where he spent many happy hours. There is 
a monument there too, raised in his honor by 
young Americans, on which are carved the 
words, ‘To the Hero of Two Worlds’.” 

“But, Uncle Stach,” interrupted the inquisi¬ 
tive Tadek, “what did he do for Poland?” 

“Kosciuszko,” continued the uncle, “re¬ 
turned to Poland after the American Revolu¬ 
tion was over. In 1791 a constitution was 
proclaimed here in Poland that brought on a 
war in which Kosciuszko distinguished him¬ 
self as a divisional commander. Then three 
years later he formed an army and led them in 
a battle against the Russians. 

“You already know of the tablet that is in 
the Rynek and marks the spot where Kosci¬ 
uszko stood one March morning in the year 
1 794 and, with his army, took the oath to be 


84 


A BOY OF POLAND 


faithful and to fight for the independence of 
his countrymen. 

“He led his army against the Russians in 
many successful battles, but during one con¬ 
flict he was seriously wounded and taken to 
the city now called Leningrad in Russia and 
imprisoned. 

“When the new Russian sovereign, Paul by 
name, came to the throne he set Kosciuszko 
free. Kosciuszko then went to America, where 
he remained for a year and a half. Then he 
returned to France. Napoleon, the famous 
French leader, wanted him to enlist under his 
banner, but the Polish soldier refused because 
Napoleon was not interested in making the 
restoration of Poland one of his chief aims. 
Instead Kosciuszko went to Switzerland to 
live, and there he died on October 26, 1817. 

“The people of Poland were not allowed to 
bring Kosciuszko’s body back, as the authori¬ 
ties feared a patriotic outbreak. So they built 
in his memory this Mound,” said the uncle, as 
he and Tadek reached the top of the hill and 
entered the enclosure of the Mound itself. 

“How did they make it?” asked Tadek. 

First, answered the uncle, “people went 


TO KRAKOW 


8 5 


to all of the battlefields upon which Kosciuszko 
had fought and from them brought dirt in 
wagons. As the wagons passed through the 
countryside, the peasants formed in proces¬ 
sions and threw flowers on the earth. 

“It is said that in one place where they went 
to get some earth from a spot where Koscius¬ 
zko had fought, a potter’s hut stood. Upon 
hearing what they wanted, the potter knocked 
down his fireplace to let the soil be dug from 
beneath it. Even children brought handfuls of 
earth to help make the Mound in memory of 
our famous soldier, Tadeusz Kosciuszko.” 

Resting by the great stone on the flat top of 
the mighty mound, Tadek and his uncle looked 
about them on the wide world below. There 
was the fair city of Krakow, with the market¬ 
place in the center where the mother and 
Bialek were waiting for their return. Here be¬ 
low the hill ran the shining stream of the 
Vistula, full of twists and curves; beyond was 
the smaller mound of the Princess Wanda. All 
about were fields, meadows and factories, with 
the further reaches of dark forest in every 
direction. 

“Why, Uncle Stach,” exclaimed the boy 


86 


A BOY OF POLAND 


after a while, pointing away to the south, “look 
at the pretty row of white clouds over there!” 

“We’re lucky!’’ smiled the uncle, “those 
are the snowtops of the high Carpathian moun¬ 
tains, that we call the Tatra. They can only 
be seen once in a long while from here. They 
are at least seventy miles from this spot. It 
would take Kary a long time to go that far, 
wouldn’t it! But come, Tadek,” he added, 
“we must go. It is getting late and we have 
come a very long way.” 

As Tadek and the uncle descended by the 
spiral path that had led them to the Mound, 
they amused themselves with a little Polish 
poem of questions and answers: 

“Who are you, child?** 

“A Polish mite.** 

“What is your sign?** 

“The eagle white.*’ 

“Where do you dwell?** 

“Not far from here.** 

“And in what land?” 

“In Poland fair.** 

“You love that land?** 

“With all my nature.** 

“Where is your trust?** 

“In Poland’s future.** 





TADEK AND ZOSIA MAKE A VISIT 

CHAPTER VIII 


M 


_ __ANY, many mornings later Zosia, 

passing by Tadek’s garden, called, Tadek, 
Tadek, the pansies are in bloom!” 

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” shouted Tadek, 
running down the path. 

“Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek. “I’m com¬ 
ing too,” he called, waddling as fast as his fat 
little legs would go after his master. 

“Aren’t they pretty!” exclaimed Tadek, as 

87 





A BOY OF POLAND 


he looked at the little rows of purple and yel¬ 
low flowers that bloomed gaily around the 
outside of his garden. “And look, Zosia!” he 
added, “my late planting of radishes seems 
almost big enough to eat. They are big 
enough!” 

Tadek, said Zosia, “Mother is sending 
Old Jan some eggs. She doesn’t need me in 
the kitchen today, so I am going to take them, 
and—” 

I II take him some of my radishes too!” in¬ 
terrupted Tadek. Some of these are l'ust right 
to eat.” 

“You pull them,” said Zosia, “while I get 
the basket of eggs.” 

It was not long before Tadek had pulled up 
his radishes and bunched them together. 

“There’s room in the corner of the basket,” 
said Zosia when she returned with the eggs. 

When the radishes were arranged neatly be¬ 
side the eggs in the basket, Tadek and Zosia 
started down the path that led under the tall 
poplar trees. Bialek waddled closely behind 
them. 

“I wonder,” said Tadek, “if Old Jan has 
made any more new toys.” 


TADEK AND ZOSIA MAKE A VISIT 


I don’t know, but we shall soon see,” an¬ 
swered Zosia as they came on to the road. 

Suddenly Bialek lay down in the dirt road 
as if to say, ‘‘I’m tired and want to be picked 
up,” 

“Well, Bialek,” laughed Zosia when she saw 
him, “you have walked pretty far for a little 
pig-” 

Tadek picked up his pet and tucked him 
safely under his arm. 

As they walked along, Zosia began hum¬ 
ming softly to herself. 

“Oh, let’s sing the crab song,” suggested 
Tadek, and together they began: 

“Crab is what they call me, 

‘Poor beggar’ too; 

It’s just my misfortune 
To do backward 
All I do. 

“Instead of a tail 
I have a neck; 

I never go ahead 
But always back 

“That is the way 
Crabs have always gone— 

Every last single 
Mother’s son. 


9 o 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“No use to grumble! 

I just hold my tongue 

And keep humble. 

Crab I am, and I don’t love it; 

But I’ll bite you—just to prove it!" 

When they reached Old Jan’s little white¬ 
washed hut with its thatched roof, they saw 
the door open and heard the old toy maker 
whistling softly. 

“Old Jan,” called Tadek as he entered the 
house, still carrying Bialek, “I brought you 
some radishes from my garden!” 

And Mother sent these eggs,” said Zosia, 
as she followed closely behind Tadek. 

“My! what beautiful new radishes!” smiled 
the old man. “I shall eat them for my dinner. 
Is this Bialek? he asked, stroking the little 
pig’s ears. “My! how big and fat he has 
grown!” 

After the eggs had been placed carefully in 
a crock and the radishes in a bowl, the old toy 
maker said, Come, Tadek, I have something 
for you.” He crossed over to a shelf and 
reached behind a box and pulled out a toy. 

It looks like Bialek,” exclaimed Tadek, 



“How big and fat he has grown. 


y y 




































































' 





































* . 



























* 



























































TADEK AND ZOSIA MAKE A VISIT 


9i 


examining with delight the little pig carved 
out of wood. 

Watch this,” said Old Jan, putting the toy 
pig on the table. “When you pull his tail, his 
ears will move.” 

“Let me try it!” cried the delighted Tadek. 

It was great fun to pull the tail of the little 
pig and see its stiff wooden ears move back 
and forth. 

Oink! Oink!” squealed Bialek, as if to say, 
“What a queer looking pig!” 

The old toy maker turned to Zosia. “I have 
something for you, too,” he said. 

“I wonder what it is,” whispered Tadek, as 
the old man opened a long chest. 

“It’s for your beads,” explained the toy 
maker, handing Zosia a small carved box. 

“Thank you! Thank you!” said Zosia grate¬ 
fully. “It’s beautiful!” 

“You must have something, too, Bialek,” 
said Old Jan, “I know!” he exclaimed. “I have 
just the thing—a little wooden bowl that can 
be used for your food.” 

“It’s just Bialek’s size,” smiled Zosia, when 
Old Jan handed Tadek a small wooden bowl. 

“Now,” said the old toy maker, “how would 


92 


A BOY OF POLAND 


you like to see some of the toys that I have 
made to send to Krakow?” 

Both Tadek and Zosia were delighted, as 
they loved the unusual toys that Old Jan made. 
“They are all here on this shelf,” he added, as 
the three stood looking at the handmade toys. 

“Look, Zosia, look at the dog! Look at the 
goat! Look at the bear! And there’s even a 
little horse and wagon!” called Tadek ex¬ 
citedly, as he went from one toy to another. 

“Yes, and the wheels move on the wagon,” 
said Old Jan. 

“Will the horse’s ears move, too, if you pull 
his tail?” asked the fascinated Tadek. 

“No,” laughed the old toy maker good- 
naturedly, pulling the horse’s tail, “just the 
legs.” 

Finally, after they had admired every single 
toy, Zosia said, “Come, Tadek, we must go 
home. I have to help Mother.” 

“Please thank your mother for the eggs,” 
smiled the old man, as Zosia placed Bialek’s 
new bowl and her new bead box carefully in 
the basket. “Tadek,” he said, as he watched 
the little boy tuck Bialek safely under his arm 
and then pick up the wooden pig in his other 


TADEK AND ZOSIA MAKE A VISIT 


93 


hand, I know that I shall enjoy my radishes 
too.” 

When Zosia and Tadek had thanked the old 
toy maker for the lovely gifts, they started 
back home. 

Zosia,” laughed Tadek, looking at his new 
toy, I think I can keep this pig on the foot 
of my bed.” 

”1 don’t think that Mother will object,” she 
smiled. 







TO WIELICZKA 


M, 


CHAPTER IX 


.OTHER, are we really going to Wiel- 
iczka today?” asked Tadek eagerly one bright 
July morning, as he stood beside his mother. He 
was holding Bialek in his arms and watching 
his father and Antek putting the new carved 
chest for Kasia carefully into the wagon. 

“Yes; you, Zosia, and I are going on the 
train early this afternoon. Your father and 
Uncle Stach are going in the wagon and—” 


94 







TO WIELICZKA 


95 

“But, Mother!” interrupted the anxious Ta- 
dek, “who will take care of Bialek?” 

“I’m afraid,” said the father, overhearing 
Tadek, “that he will have to stay at home 
with Antek.” 

“Poor little Bialek,” said Tadek, stroking his 
pet’s soft ears. “You always have to stay at 
home.” 

“Mmp! Mmp!” squealed Bialek, as if to say, 
“Weddings are no place for pigs who are no 
longer very small.” 

At last, after what had seemed to Tadek the 
longest morning that he had ever known, he, 
Zosia, and their mother arrived at the little 
railroad station. There were many others in 
line in front of the ticket window. The mother 
took her place, moving up slowly until she was 
at the head of the line. 

Tadek saw the ticket man hand his mother 
some slips of thick paper. 

“Come,” said the mother, as Tadek and 
Zosia still stood watching the people moving 
about. “The train will soon be here.” 

Before long the three were seated in one of 
the compartments on the train. As it moved 
along Tadek sat by the open window and 


96 


A BOY OF POLAND 


watched the passing fields, now rich with crops 
and gay with working peasants. The white¬ 
washed cottages with their thatched roofs, shin¬ 
ing in the afternoon sun, looked smaller than 
ever before to him as the train passed quickly 
by them. 

“Mother,” asked Tadek, turning around, 
“do you think that Father and Uncle Stach will 
get there before we do?” 

“They should, if the roads are not too 
crowded,” she assured him. “Remember, they 
left home early this morning.” 

“Yes, and Kary can go very fast when he 
wants to,” agreed Tadek, as he turned again 
to the open window, still thinking of the black 
horse that seldom liked to walk. 

Finally the train stopped at the station in 
Wieliczka and the three got off. 

“There’s Uncle Michael,” shouted Tadek as 
he saw his uncle coming toward them. 

“Uncle Michael,” asked Tadek anxiously, as 
they started from the station to the wagon, 
“has Father come?” 

“Yes, both your father and Uncle Stach are 
already at the house,” smiled his uncle. 

It was not long before they were again on 


TO WIELICZKA 


97 


their way, Tadek sitting up front in the wagon 
with his uncle, while Zosia and her mother 
rode behind them. 

As they drove along they saw the wooden 
church of St. Sebastian, which stands on a hill 
near the town and is adorned with new poly¬ 
chrome pictures telling of the country life of 
the Polish people. Farther along they saw the 
bastion which is all that is left of the old Castle 
of Casimir the Great; and nearby they passed 
the Mining Museum. 

“How pretty the gardens look!” smiled the 
mother, attracted by the neat little flower and 
vegetable gardens separating the clean white¬ 
washed cottages from one another. 

“Here we are,” said the uncle, bringing the 
horse and wagon to a stop in front of one of 
the cottages. 

“Is that Tadek’s voice I hear?” called his 
father as he came to the doorway. 

“Yes, and Mother and Zosia, and Uncle 
Michael are here too,” cried Tadek from the 
wagon. 

What a happy family they were as they sat 
around the supper table that evening, chatting 
with one another about Kasia’s wedding. 





E 


KASIA’S WEDDING 


CHAPTER X 


EVERYONE was up early the next morn¬ 
ing, scurrying around, attending to all kinds of 
duties. The mother and aunt were busy in the 
kitchen putting things in order. Tadek and 
Zosia were in the living room pasting designs 
cut from colored paper on the freshly white¬ 
washed walls. 

“Doesn’t the pine smell good?” said Tadek 
breathing in the sweet fragrance of a pine 
branch that was hanging gracefully from the 







KASIA’S WEDDING 


99 


thatched roof. He was pasting a colored paper 
figure near the open window. 

It certainly does,” said Zosia, coming over 
to him with a paper cut-out in her hand. 

“How gay the room looks!” exclaimed the 
father, as he and Uncle Stach carried a long 
bench into the brightly decorated room. 

Finally, when the room was cleared, except 
for the benches and chairs which were lined up 
against the walls, the mother called, “Tadek, 
come. It is time for you to dress. The guests 
will be arriving soon.” 

“My, what large cakes!” exclaimed Tadek, 
as he stopped and gazed at the flat cakes piled 
on top of one another. 

“Yes, they are large,” smiled his aunt. “And 
Kasia has sent out many more that size to her 
friends as wedding invitations.” 

“Mother!” said Jendrek, coming into the 
room, dressed in gay holiday attire. “I must 
hurry for it is time for me to join the brides¬ 
men!” 

“Come,” said the aunt, as she glanced around 
the room to see that nothing had been left un¬ 
done. “It is time that all of us were ready.” 

It was not long before everyone was dressed 


100 


A BOY OF POLAND 


and the guests began to arrive. Some brought 
gifts of loaves of wheat bread, pieces of bacon, 
cakes, flour, lard, salt, fat fowls, and even a 
piece of money wrapped in a paper or in a 
flower. 

“I hear music!” said Tadek, going to the 
door. 

“It’s the musicians and the bridesmen,” ex¬ 
plained his mother, coming over to Tadek. 
“First they go from door to door of the people 
in the village, singing in verse, inviting them 
to come to the wedding. Then the guests hasten 
and join them. After that, the whole pro¬ 
cession goes to the homes of the bridesmaids, 
stopping in front of their windows. The brides¬ 
men sing in unison, bidding them come forth.” 

“Here they come! Here they come!” shouted 
Tadek excitedly, as he saw and heard the 
musicians coming toward the house and play¬ 
ing lively tunes. There were fiddles, flutes, 
bass viols, and accordions, all trimmed with 
flying ribbons. Behind the players walked the 
bridesmen in twos, then the guests in their best 
bright holiday costumes, followed by the pretty 
bridesmaids. 

Where are the bridesmen going?” asked 


KASIA’S WEDDING 


IOI 


Tadek eagerly, as he watched them leave the 
guests at the house, then start off again. 

“They’re going for the bridegroom,” smiled 
the mother. 

“But where is Zosia?” asked the puzzled 
Tadek, looking around for his sister. 

“She’s in Kasia’s room,” answered his 
mother, “helping her to dress. Listen, Tadek!” 
his mother added as she gazed up the road. 
“The musicians are returning with the bride¬ 
groom.” 

As the bridegroom was being ushered into 
the house, the musicians continued to play 
lively tunes while the bridesmen sang. 

Soon a door opened. There stood Kasia in 
her wedding dress. Her tall headdress of arti¬ 
ficial flowers fitted neatly to her head and 
blended with the bright silk shawl that hung 
gracefully across her shoulders. Beneath the 
shawl the white neck of her blouse showed 
through strings of coral and amber beads. 
They reached the top of her velvet bodice that 
was embroidered with silver. Her beautiful 
silk flowered apron all but covered her white 
skirt with its gay colored flowers, that hung 
over the tops of her high black shoes. 


102 


A BOY OF POLAND 


As Kasia walked into the room the brides¬ 
maids formed a circle around her. Then the 
bridesmen sang their little song bidding her 
to ask pardon of her parents and brother for 
any wrong that she had done. 

Quiet came over the room as the bridesmen’s 
song ended. The bridegroom came forward. 
Taking Kasia’s hand, he knelt with her before 
her father and mother. As the father made 
the sign of the cross, he sprinkled them lightly 
with Holy Water. 

“Dear Mother, Father, and Jendrek,” said 
Kasia, kneeling, I ask your forgiveness and 
your blessing.” 

When Kasia was forgiven, she rose. Her 
parents embraced her, as did many of the wed¬ 
ding guests. 

“Come, Tadek,” said his mother, as the 
music began. “Now we are going to the 
church.” 

What a gay procession the bridal party was! 
The bridegroom and his best men were on 
horseback. The mother, father, relatives, and 
friends rode in their carts behind the musicians. 
All were in their colorful holiday costumes, 
singing happily to the sprightly tunes. 



What a gay procession it was! 
















KASIA’S WEDDING 


103 


When they reached the church, everyone 
formed in line and proceeded to the altar, two 
by two. 

“Mother,” said Zosia, as she stood by her 
mother and Tadek outside of the church after 
the wedding service, “let’s go back together.” 

“I didn’t realize that there were so many 
people there,” remarked the mother, as they 
walked toward a cart. She glanced around at 
the many guests who were now chatting with 
one another in groups of twos, threes, and 
fours. 

“Why, Mother! Aunt Hanka is home al¬ 
ready!” exclaimed the surprised Tadek, when 
he saw Kasia’s mother standing in the door¬ 
way, as they neared the cottage. 

“It is our custom,” explained his mother, 
“that the mother of the bride returns to her 
home before the bride and guests arrive, so 
that she may be the first to welcome the bridal 
couple.” 

As they entered the cottage, they heard the 
musicians playing and saw the men taking the 
women for their partners as they crossed the 
threshold. 

“There goes Zosia,” laughed Tadek, as a 


A BOY OF POLAND 


104 

young peasant lad danced gracefully by with 
his sister. It was not long before the whole 
room was filled with dancing couples. 

Mother, look at Kasia,” exclaimed Tadek 
excitedly, as he stood between his mother and 
Zosia against the wall. "Look! She’s dancing 
alone with them!” he called. 

It s the dance that belongs to the bride,” 
answered his mother, as the men guests and 
bridegroom formed a large circle around Kasia. 
The music began. Kasia danced within the 
circle. Then, taking each man, leaving the 
bridegroom until the last, she danced happily 
with each in turn. 

When she had danced a few figures with her 
new husband, everyone joined in the dancing. 
Such dancing! The full, colorful skirts of the 
women swayed to the rhythm of the music, as 
their partners twirled them around happily 
from one step to another. Even the men as 
they danced, stamping their heavy boots on 
the floor, seemed to add to the lively tunes that 
were coming from the corner in which the 
musicians were playing. 

Finally when the music stopped, tables were 
brought into the room. The guests sat down 


KASIA’S WEDDING 


I0 5 

to a hearty meal of soup, pork, chicken, boiled 
and pickled cabbage, light wine, and the large, 
flat wedding cake that appeared on each 
table. As they ate, the musicians once more 
played lively tunes. 

When the wedding meal was over, Kasia was 
led away to her room by some of the women 
guests. 

“Come, Tadek,” said his father. “You can 
help us clear the things away.” 

After the room was cleared again, the guests 
amused themselves by playing games and 
chatting with one another. 

“Here comes Kasia!” said Zosia. 

How different Kasia looked as she followed 
the women into the room! Her head was 
covered now by a white cloth, instead of the 
coronal of flowers. 

“Watch this, Tadek,” said his mother, as 
Kasia sat down in the middle of the floor. 

It was great fun to watch the bridesmaids 
try to snatch the cloth from Kasia’s head, while 
some of the women and men defended her, 
singing in doleful tones all through the mimic 
battle. 

“Some one's taken it! shouted Tadek ex- 


io 6 


A BOY OF POLAND 


citedly, as he saw Kasia still sitting on the floor. 
Now her hair was tightly plaited around her 
head and in place of her wedding headdress 
was a small white cap. 

Tadek’s mother explained, “Kasia’s hair is 
now done in the fashion to show that she is 
married, that, from now on, she will be busy 
with the care of the house, and will have no 
time to dress her hair prettily—so it must be 
worn in this way under a cap.” 

“Mother! what are they doing?” asked 
Tadek eagerly, as he now saw the bridesmaids 
grouped about Kasia. The men were draw¬ 
ing a circle of unthreshed wheat around the 
bride. 

“Any man,” answered the mother, “who 
wants to dance with the bride must make his 
way through the wheat so that he may reach 
her.” 

“I see,” laughed Tadek, looking eagerly at 
the struggling men. 

Finally when the wheat was broken through 
and Kasia was reached, everyone joined in 
the dancing. 

“Tadek,” said his mother when the music 
had stopped, Kasia will now go to her new 


KASIA’S WEDDING 


107 

home. All her gifts and belongings will be 
carried before her.” 

“May I carry the bowl that I made for her?” 
asked Tadek eagerly, when he saw the men 
putting the wedding gifts into the cart. 

“Yes,” smiled his mother. “But keep close 
to your father.” 

As Tadek walked closely by his father be¬ 
hind the aunt and uncle, he beat time to the 
music with the palm of his hand on the small 
carved wooden bowl that he carried. 

“Here we are,” said his father, as they came 
to a small white cottage with a thatched roof. 
In the doorway were the bridesmen and the 
husband waiting for the bride. 

“Mother, what do you think is in that 
bundle?” asked Tadek inquisitively, seeing the 
aunt entering the cottage before Kasia with a 
small package under her arm. 

“In that bundle,” answered the mother, who 
had now joined Tadek and his father, "is a 
pinch of salt, a morsel of bread, a coal, the 
wax of a blessed candle, and a small knot of 
grain from the wreath that you have so often 
seen blessed in September. The bread is a sign 
of plenty; the salt signifies thrift. The coal 


io8 


A BOY OF POLAND 


expresses a good wish for the housekeeping; 
the grain and the wax are blessings, both hav¬ 
ing been declared sacred by the Church.” 

As Kasia entered her new home, the women 
flung after her thread and stalks of hemp. 

‘‘They do this,” said the father, as he, Tadek, 
and the mother went into the cottage, “to ward 
off any evil, in order for everything that Kasia 
undertakes shall have a happy ending.” 

When Kasia had changed from her wedding 
dress into one that she wore every day, she 
came into the room to begin her duties as the 
mistress of the house. Before very long every¬ 
one was caught in the spirit of the music that 
had begun to play and was dancing the national 
dances, the kraJ^owial^ and obere}^. 

“Come Tadek,” said his mother, looking at 
the weary lad, “it is time for you to go to bed. 
You’ve had a very full and happy day.” 

When Tadek and his mother had bade 
Kasia happy wishes and good-bye, they started 
toward the aunt’s cottage. As they walked 
home in the late evening, the sound of music 
and happy voices singing still floated through 
the open windows and doorway. 



E. 


INTO THE SALT MINES 


CHAPTER XI 


f ARLY the next afternoon Uncle Michael 
said, “Tadek, how would you and Zosia like 
to pay a visit to our famous salt mines?” 

The two children were delighted, so the 
wagon was soon ready and they were all on 
their way. 

“Our salt mines,” said the uncle, as they 
entered a low building, “are the most famous 
in the world. They were begun during the 

109 





no 


A BOY OF POLAND 


thirteenth century. The mine is deep down in 
the earth and is divided into three distinct 
fields. Each field is made up of seven stories 
and each story has several chambers. But only 
the three upper stories, which are lighted by 
electricity, are open to visitors.” 

They took the tickets and joined the party 
of waiting visitors. Soon the bell rang and 
they entered the elevators. Down, down they 
went, until they stopped far below the earth. 
Then they began climbing stairways made 
out of solid salt. 

“It’s really quite simple,” explained Uncle 
Michael when Tadek asked him how the stairs 
were made. “When any building or anything 
is being made within the mine, masses of salt 
are piled one upon another. Then water is 
dashed upon it. The water dissolves part of 
the salt, which runs into the crevices and fills 
them up. Then when the water has evaporated 
a solid mass of salt remains, just as if it were 
molded. The dry air preserves it.” 

The little party went farther into the mine 
and stopped before what looked like a crystal 
palace. ‘‘This is the Chapel of St. Anthony,” 
said the guide. 


INTO THE SALT MINES 


hi 


And it’s all made out of salt?” asked 
Tadek, looking wonderingly at the altar and 
pulpit that were sculptured from salt in 1691. 

Yes, smiled his uncle, “but wait until you 
see what else there is.” He led the way with 
Tadek and Zosia close at his heels. 

This room is the Chapel of St. Cunegonde. 
It is considered the finest in the mine, ex¬ 
plained the guide. Tadek and Zosia looked 
about at a fairy-like church with beautiful 
statues and bas-reliefs, all cut out of salt in 
1920 by Joseph Markowski, one of the miners. 

“Look, Zosia!” exclaimed Tadek, pointing 
to the beautiful candelabra made of salt crys¬ 
tals strung together by wire. In its light the 
salt walls glistened in prismatic colors. 

“Isn’t it beautiful!” marveled Zosia. 

“Once a year,” said the uncle, “on the 24th 
of December a service is held in this chapel 
for the miners.” 

“How lovely it must be,” said Zosia. 

“It is lovely,” agreed her uncle. “Now the 
guide is going to show us something else. He’s 
taking us down this corridor. Look, here’s a 
room with a beautiful stained glass window.” 

“Who is it supposed to be, Uncle Michael?” 


112 


A BOY OF POLAND 


asked Zosia eagerly, as they stood before a 
beautiful colored window. 

“It represents Saint Cunegonde. It was 
made by a famous artist named Tetmajer, 
answered the uncle. 

“My! How large this room is!” exclaimed 
Tadek, as they entered another chamber. 

“Yes,” smiled her uncle proudly. “This is 
the largest room in the mine.” 

“And what is this one called?” asked Zosia, 
as she stood admiring the beautiful carvings. 

“It is called the Room of Michalowice. But 
come,” said the uncle, starting toward the door. 
“There is something different to show you.” 

“What is it?” asked the excited Tadek. 

“You shall see in a very little while,” laughed 
his uncle. He led them into another room 
where they saw before them various wooden 
tools. “These,” he explained, “are the old 
wooden tools which were once used to dig out 
the salt. This room, which is called Drozdo- 
wice, is a sort of museum.” 

“My!” sighed Tadek, looking at the spar¬ 
kling blocks of salt. “How I wish that I could 
take Mother a piece of this!” 

“We’ll get her some,” promised his uncle. 



“Isn’t it beautiful!’’ breathed Zosia. 













INTO THE SALT MINES 


1 13 

A lake! breathed Tadek, as they entered 
the room named for Pilsudski, the famous Pole 
who fought during the World War. 

Yes, a real lake, laughed the uncle, “and 
one can cross over it on a raft.” 

‘ ‘What do they call it ? ” asked Zosia, looking 
into the briny water. 

Its name is Prazykos, and it is five miles 
deep. Five miles deep—just think of that!” re¬ 
peated the uncle. 

Now, Tadek,” smiled Uncle Michael, hand¬ 
ing the small boy a coin. “Did I hear you say 
that you would like to take your mother some¬ 
thing made from salt?” 

“Yes, I did say so,” beamed Tadek. 

As they came into the room called Sienkie- 
wicz in honor of a famous novelist, Zosia, look¬ 
ing down at the floor, exclaimed, “Why, it’s 
wooden!” 

“Yes,” answered her uncle, “and it is quite 
often used as a ballroom. But come, Tadek 
must spend that money of his,” laughed the 
uncle, watching Tadek fingering the coin. 

“What shall it be?” asked a kind gentleman, 
when he saw Tadek looking at the little models 
made from salt crystals. 


A BOY OF POLAND 


114 

“There are albums and picture postcards 
too,” called Zosia softly, looking at the neatly 
displayed books and pictures of the many 
things that they had already seen. 

“I don’t know,” said Tadek, as he looked 
from one souvenir to another. “Oh! I know, 
he exclaimed, spying a little crucifix carved 
out of salt. “I’ll take that; Mother can use it 
before her picture of the Holy Mother. 

With his gift clutched in his hand, Tadek 
followed his uncle and Zosia into the elevator, 
which took them up to the entrance. 

“Did we see all of the rooms?” asked Zosia 
as they came out into the daylight. 

“No,” smiled the uncle. “There are seventy 
in all. But we saw the most important ones.” 

“Are there any more lakes?” asked the in¬ 
terested Tadek. 

“There are fifteen more. But the one we saw 
is the largest,” answered the uncle. 

“Uncle Michael,” said Tadek seriously, as 
they drove home, “do you think when I grow 
up that I can be a miner and build rooms like 
those?” 

“Perhaps,” answered the uncle. “We’ll 
see!” he said as the three went into the house. 





THE HARVEST FESTIVAL 

I CHAPTER XII 

T WAS late autumn and the end of the har¬ 
vest season. All the crops had been gathered 
into the barn, which was filled to overflowing 
with all sorts of things for use in the coming 
winter. 

In the rye field Tadek watched Zosia and a 
group of her friends making a wreath of grain 
and flowers. This was the day when everyone 
was to go to the Manor House. The boys would 

115 




n6 


A BOY OF POLAND 


carry bouquets of flowers to the mistress, and 
the girls wreaths to the master of the Manor. 
It was to be a real occasion with dancing, sing¬ 
ing, and much merry-making; and at the height 
of the festivities the mistress and master would 
dance with the boy and girl chosen as the best 
reapers for that year. 

“It’s pretty,” admired Tadek, as he watched 
his sister twine the grain and flowers together. 

‘‘Have you gathered us some flowers, Ta¬ 
dek?” asked one of his neighbors. 

‘‘Yes, here they are,” he indicated his bou¬ 
quet of late fall blossoms. 

“It’s almost time to ‘dress the partridge’,” 
observed Zosia, as she wove the last flower into 
the wreath. ‘‘Does anyone know who’s been 
selected for the ‘plowing’?” 

While the girls had been working on the 
wreath, the young men of the neighborhood 
had brought the last two sheaves to an open 
place in the field. 

‘‘They’re going to make the ‘partridge’ from 
those sheaves, Tadek,” said his sister. ‘‘Let’s 
help them.” 

‘‘What do we do?” asked Tadek. 

“Everybody will help stand the sheaves up 


THE HARVEST FESTIVAL 


117 

to make a sort of archway. Then they’ll dec¬ 
orate it,” said Zosia. “See, they have a stone to 
put under it.” 

“Oh, what’s that they’re putting on the 
stone?” Tadek was almost in the way in his 
eagerness to see and help. 

“They’ll put a slice of bread on it, said 
Zosia, “and some salt and a penny, as a sign of 
richness and of plenty.” 

When the “partridge” had been “dressed, 
the next event was to “plow” around it. The 
girls and boys seized the girl who had used a 
sickle that year for the first time and dragged 
her around over the stubble in a sort of May- 
pole dance accompanied by a song. 

“That’s what they call ‘plowing the stub¬ 
ble’,” explained Zosia. 

“Come on, Zosia, your turn next! You re the 
champion reaper for this year,” shouted some 
one. The merriment ran riot while Zosia, as 
the best girl reaper, and Stashek, a neighbor 
who was considered the best boy reaper, were 
also made to “plow the partridge.” 

“Zosia’s chosen! Zosia’s chosen! Tadek 
shouted to his father and mother as they came 
across the field. He danced up and down in his 


n8 


A BOY OF POLAND 


excitement when he saw the wreaths of grain 
and flowers put on Zosia’s head. Then the rest 
of the merry-makers took up their garlands, 
and everyone started for the Manor House. As 
they walked they sang: 

“Mummy look, and Daddy! 

See the gate is open; 

Tis the sheaf they carry 
From the fields all golden. 

“Right from our fair acres, 

What a gift they’re bringing! 

All bedecked with ribbons, 

On they come a-singing! 

“Give your hand to greet them! 

Welcome is their coming. 

Smiling let us meet them. 

Tis the Harvest Homing.” 

“Look out for the water, Zosia!” shouted 
Tadek as the procession entered the yard, 
where some boys were waiting in ambush to 
throw water on the champions. ‘ ‘What do they 
do that for?” he asked his father. 

“Oh, that’s to show the importance of rain 
for good crops,” was the reply. 

As they neared a large, low, white stucco 
house with a tiled roof, they heard lively tunes 



“Zosia’s chosen! Zosia’s chosen!” 








THE HARVEST FESTIVAL 


ng 

coming from the violins and bass viols. On the 
porch stood the master and mistress greeting 
the peasants. They took the wreath from 
Zosia’s head and the garland from Stashek, 
thanked them, and gave them each a coin. 

“What’s he going to do with the wreath?” 
whispered Tadek. 

“The master will hang it in the hall and keep 
it there until next harvest,” answered his 
mother. 

“Oh, the master’s going to dance with 
Zosia!” breathed Tadek when the wreath and 
garland had been hung in the hall of the Manor. 
With Zosia’s hand in his, the master led the 
procession to a large barn that had been cleared 
for the occasion. 

“Yes, the Manor people always dance the 
first number with the champion reapers,” Ta- 
dek’s mother told him. 

When the dance was ended the peasants 
sang melodies in praise of the folk of the Manor 
while the musicians played a soft accompani¬ 
ment. The master, his house and family, every 
child he had were praised in verses composed 
by the peasants themselves especially for the 
occasion. Then the master thanked his guests 


120 


A BOY OF POLAND 


for their kind wishes and invited them all to 
dance and enjoy the supper he had provided. 

Such dancing and merry-making Tadek had 
never seen before. He was still watching in the 
late evening, and as he watched he beat time 
with his feet and sang softly to himself: 

“Raindrops do not fall today, 

Just be good and go away! 

Go away, nor come again 
Till we get the harvest in. 

“Over there the clouds go by, 

Sailing careless in the sky; 

We shall get the harvest in 
Safe, before the storm begin. 

“Crack the whip, the horses pull, 

Dust is rising on the way; 

Look, the skies are no more dull, 

All the clouds have flown away.” 



c, 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


CHAPTER XIII 


' OME, Bialek,” said Tadek one bright 
sunshiny afternoon as he closed the stable door 
and started down the path, now covered with 
snow. “We must hurry. There is plenty of 
work to do. You know,” he said, “this is 
Christmas Eve Day.” 

“Mmp! Mmp!” called Bialek, as he waddled 
slowly behind Tadek’s heavy black boots that 
crunched over the ground. “Mmp! Mmp!” 


121 



122 


A BOY OF POLAND 


Bialek cried again. “Of course I know it s 
Christmas Eve Day. You’ve been telling me 
about the Star-man for weeks.” 

When Tadek reached the house, he stopped. 
Turning to the pig he said, “Bialek, go back 
now. You can’t come in the house any more, 
you know. You’re too big.” Tadek looked 
across his garden and the fields and saw them 
covered over by a huge white blanket of snow. 

“Is that you, Tadek? ” asked his mother as he 
came into the kitchen. 

“Yes, it is,” he answered, taking off his cap 
and heavy sheepskin coat. “Bialek wanted to 
come in too, but I told him he was too big.” 

“I should say so,” laughed his mother, then 
she added, “when you’ve warmed yourself you 
may help me lay the hay on the table.” 

When Tadek’s hands and feet were warmed, 
he joined his mother. On the floor was a box 
filled with hay, from which he brought her an 
armful and watched her lay it neatly over the 
table. 

“When I was just your age, Tadek,” she 
smiled, “I helped my mother just as you are 
helping me. I can still remember her telling me 
that the hay or straw that is spread on the table 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


123 


and in the corner of the room is used in memory 
of Our Saviour’s birth in the manger.” 

“Did she tell you about the Star-man too?” 
he asked, as he watched her finish the table and 
pile what was left of the hay in a corner. 

Many times,” she replied. “She would be¬ 
gin long before Christmas, just as I have so 
often with you. And she would tell me that the 
Star-man would always come, but if I was not 
a good child he would not bring me gifts, 
and—” 

“But, Mother, I’ve been good, haven’t I?” 
asked Tadek anxiously, as his mother laid a 
long white cloth over the hay on the table. 

“We’ll have to see what the Star-man thinks 
about that when he comes tonight after supper. 
Now come,” she said. “You might get me more 
wood. I must help Zosia finish with the cook¬ 
ing.” 

When at last everything was ready the 
father, mother, Zosia, Tadek, Antek, and Josef 
stood at the window watching for the evening 
star. 

“I see it! I see it!” exclaimed Tadek, as he 
watched the first star twinkle in the sky. “Now 
is it time to light the tree?” 


124 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“Yes, I think it is,” his father smiled indul¬ 
gently. “You can help fasten the candles on 
it but be sure you put them where they won’t 
set fire to anything.” 

When the last candle was in place and 
lighted the family gathered around the tree by 
the window and sang together their beautiful 
carols. 

“We’ll sing some more later,” said the 
mother at last, “but now let’s have our supper.” 

As they sat down to the table in the room 
now lighted with many lights, the father said, 
“Let us all be at peace with God and man.” 

He took up an opiate\ (a little wafer which 
had been blessed by the priest and which had 
some sacred picture stamped upon it, or the 
three letters that stand for the Holy Name 
I.H.S.). This he held out to the mother, who 
also took hold of it, and between them they 
broke it. The mother then passed her piece of 
the wafer to each person at the table in turn, 
and each one broke off and ate a piece of it. 
Then more wafers were passed around, each 
one breaking his with everyone else, 

After everyone’s wafer had been broken and 
happy Christmas wishes had been exchanged, 


CHRISTMAS EVE 


I2 5 


they turned their attention to the loaded table 
and ate heartily of almond soup, beet soup, 
baked pike, cabbage, mushrooms followed by 
more fish, conserved fruit and pirogi (a little 
dumpling stuffed with layers of plum marma¬ 
lade, poppy seeds, or cheese). 

“Zosia,” whispered Tadek, as another fat 
little dumpling was put on his plate, “it’s 
nearly time for the Star-man to come.” 

“Yes,” smiled Zosia. “He’ll soon be here!” 

Finally, when everyone had had all they 
could eat, they said thanks and gathered at the 
door. Antek and Josef set about getting the 
hay from beneath the table to take to the ani¬ 
mals in the stable. 

“Here he comes,” breathed Tadek, as the 
front door of the cottage opened and Father 
Christmas, whose name in Poland is the Star- 
man, came into the room. 

Turning to Tadek, the Star-man asked, 
“Have you learned and said your prayers? 
Have you been a good boy?” 

“Yes,” said Tadek. 

“And you, Zosia?” asked the Star-man. 

“Yes,” smiled Zosia. 

“Well, that’s good,” said the Star-man. “I 


126 


A BOY OF POLAND 


have brought you good things from Star-land 
and my fairy helpers have been arranging them 
under the tree for you.” 

What a colorful scene as the happy family 
was grouped about the Christmas tree, lighted 
with its merry candles. Gifts were found for 
Tadek and Zosia and even for Bialek. 

“Look, Zosia, what I have!” called the ex¬ 
cited and happy Tadek, as he opened his box. 
“It’s a horse and wagon like the one Old Jan 
made.” 

“And see what I have!” said Zosia, opening 
up a bright red kerchief. 

“Listen!” said the father going to the win¬ 
dow. 

He pointed to a group of young men from 
the neighboring farms, who were gathered be¬ 
fore the cottage. They carried a large paper 
star that was lighted up, and they were singing: 

“To the manger came the shepherds joyfully, 

Bearing gifts and singing hymns in ecstasy: 

“Glory to Highest Heaven, glory to God be 
given! 

And on earth Charity! 

Thus they came with loyal homage to their Lord, 
Seeing here fulfilled the promise of His word: 



“Look, Zosia, what I have!” 







CHRISTMAS EVE 


127 

Glory to Highest Heaven, Glory to God be 
given! 

And on earth Charity!*' 

They were the manger men who make visits 
at Christmas time, and with them they had the 
Szopk.a, a model in bright colors of the stable 
where the Christ Child was born. 

“Come right in!” said Tadek’s mother, open¬ 
ing the door. “It is too cold to stay out there.” 

So the whole party came in, and the family 
sat down or stood near the tree, while the visi¬ 
tors sang and recited their little play, telling of 
the birth of Jesus. When they finished the 
mother and Zosia brought them good things to 
eat. With a hearty “God reward you!” they 
slipped out of the door to go to the next cottage. 

It was now very late. Tadek was tired, so he 
said “Good night” to everyone. He took one 
more look at the tree and, after kneeling for a 
moment in silent prayer, before the picture of 
the Holy Mother, he picked up his new horse 
and wagon and started for the bedroom he 
shared with Antek and Josef. 

But before climbing into bed he stood a min¬ 
ute by the window to gaze at the starry sky. 
From the road came happy voices singing: 


128 


A BOY OF POLAND 


“While the world in darkness 
Waited for the morning, 

Came the Babe to Mary, 
Bethlehem’s name adorning! 

Here the Angel chorus swelling, 
Joy to all the nations telling; 
Gloria, gloria, gloria, 

In excelsis Deo! 

“Shepherds from the hillside 
Came to seek the manger, 

Where in sweetest slumber 
Lay the wondrous Stranger. 

Hear the Angel chorus swelling, 
Joy to all the nations telling; 
Gloria, gloria, gloria, 

In excelsis Deo!” 














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